Still Human
by aryawaterrs
Summary: My name is Clove Ashton and I never wanted to compete in The Hunger Games. I've been caught up in a world that I've been prepared for all my life by the career academies, but in the end, only one person can get me through it. And his name is Marvel.
1. The Beginning

**Hello! So first of all I'd like to say thank you for taking the time to read this if you do, and that this is the very first time I've completed a story to the best of my ability. I apologise for any spelling/grammar errors in advance, because sometimes I might accidently miss them! And of course, if I was Suzanne Collins, I would not be writing fanfiction for my own book. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

The portly man on stage, named Alastair, taps the microphone a few times, and a resounding echo fills the reaping spot.

"Welcome! Residents of District two!" His voice is sickly sweet, like honey, making me want to gag.

"It is time, as many of you may have guessed," He grins slightly, baring two golden teeth at the front of his mouth, "To choose, this year's tributes for the chance to compete in the 74th annual Hunger Games, and all the honour and the glory that accompanies that."

He finishes his sentence, and closes his mouth in a satisfied manner.

"So!" He exclaims suddenly, causing several people in the audience to shudder, "Shall we say, gentlemen first this year?"

Several people in the crowd cheer, but a few of the girls in the eighteen year old pen jeer. Most people in District two, are trained in what are called 'Career academies', until they're eighteen. Then, the strongest among us volunteer, hoping to bring yet another victory to our district. One and four do the same however, so at least there's _some_ competition for us in the arena.

I've been trained in the academies since I was ten. They say that when I'm eighteen, _I'm_ to be the one to volunteer. My teacher says I have an aptitude for knife-throwing. I'd say it's more than that, in fact I never miss.

Alastair hobbles up to the glass bowl, containing the male reaping slips, with a knowing smile. Whoever gets chosen, they won't have to compete. Someone will volunteer.

He walks back up to the microphone and unfolds the slip of paper.

"Ahem." The crowd goes silent in anticipation, "Marcus Mattington!"

The cameras on the screen focus in on a scrawny looking boy in the crowd, he doesn't look worried. Marcus Mattington doesn't get the screen time for long though, because sure enough, someone's shouting "I volunteer!" from behind me. I don't even bother to turn around to see who it is. I'll see them soon enough anyway.

The blonde boy makes his way up to the stage, his face shown on the screen. A gasp escapes me when I realise who it is.

Alastair greets the boy with a handshake and the boy tries to look as intimidating as possible.

"And what might your name be?" Alastair asks the boy. I already know the answer though.

"Cato," the boy sneers at the crowd, "Cato Harley."

I start to feel drowsy, as memories work their way through my brain. Like cogs in machinery.  
Flashes of Cato and me when we were kids, running through the town square. Our mother's talking and laughing. The first day of the career academy, looking to Cato for a reassuring smile as I throw my first ever knife. His reassuring laugh as I hit it. Dead on target.

But then other memories force their way through, Cato laughing and pointing at me with his friends. Being ignored whenever I tried to speak at him. Cato running in to the academy late with whoever took his fancy.

No, this is the Cato I knew. That I know. The Cato that was once my friend is now the Cato that is my enemy. We haven't spoken properly for years. Why should I care if he dies?

Alastair's voice snaps me out of my stupor.

"Well, after that no doubt shocking turn of events," He pauses for the audience to laugh, clearly it was anything but shocking, "Now is the time to choose the lucky lady that will be joining Mr Harley here!"

His hand hovers over the female reaping bowl for a moment, as if trying to taunt us. He then chooses a slip of paper and reads it out aloud on the microphone.

"Clove Ashton!"

There's a weird ringing in my ears for a moment. One of the girls next to me pokes me hard in the ribs.

"Clove, dear?" Alastair's voice rings out again.

I look around helplessly, for someone, anyone, to volunteer. No, surely someone has to. There's a volunteer every year. I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready.

I see my face on the screen; I look anything but the ideal career. My face is a sickly shade of green, my eyes darting around carelessly. This won't do. I have to pull my act together. I'm not a hopeless case. I still have a chance.

I force my legs to walk through the crowd, doing my best to put on what I hope is a menacing smirk.

I reach the stage and, making sure my legs are steady, I climb the steps.

"Clove, dear! How lovely to meet you." Alastair sticks his hand out for me to shake it.

My palms are sweaty, but I know I'll have to take it. I do so, and he immediately wipes his hands on his silver suit. They don't even let you keep your dignity.

"Well, that was a surprise! No volunteers this year for the girls? My, my. That certainly _was _a shocking turn of events!" He repeats his earlier words.

I see my mother in the crowd, she's clutching my father, not even looking at me. My father's looking at me, nodding his head. My sister's curled in to my mother, I can't see her face. I look around, and see familiar faces everywhere. My friend, Pip, whom I've known for years. The boy who used to tease me about my height, staring determinately at the ground. Even the woman who served me in the shop, she's looking like I'm a lost cause.

But I'm not a lost cause. Do they not understand? I never miss. Ever. And they're all treating me like I have no chance. Is it because of Cato? Sure, he's strong and brutal, but even after all we've been through, he'd never hurt me. Would he?

"Well, shake hands you two!" Says Alastair in his oh, too happy way.

Cato grabs my hand a little too forcefully. He looks in to my eyes. A look that says, I don't care who you are, or what we've been through, _I will kill you._ I swallow down the tears that had been forcing their way up my throat. Don't cry Clove, don't.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen!" Alastair begins to talk through the microphone again, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!"

He smiles gleefully, and pushes us through the doors to the justice building.

From then on, I decide I have to put on a new persona. I will not shame my district, just because I'm not eighteen yet. I will show them. I will show Alastair. I will show Cato. I will win.

* * *

It's funny. I think I've always known I'd be in this position the moment I threw my first knife. Although I thought I'd be eighteen. I thought I'd volunteer. I _thought_ I'd be ready. So when my mother bursts through the door, I just let the tears fall. Now's the last time I might ever see her, or my family. I'm not putting on an act now.

My little sister, Clara, hangs on to my side weeping, while my mother just embraces me.

"Where's dad?" I managed to choke out.

"Oh, he w-wanted to come in separately," My mother tells me. Why would he want to do that? He's probably got something to say, and he doesn't want to embarrass me.

"C-clove!" My sister wails, and she clings harder on to my side. She's only nine. And now I have to leave her.

We stay like this for however long, until the peacekeeper comes to fetch them. Clara's screaming again, but my mother remains silent. She backs out the room, her face blank.

"Clara!" I grab my sister, "Clara listen. It's gonna be okay. Don't cry. You'll see me soon okay?" I sniff.

"Hey, come on now little girl. Time to leave." The peacekeeper grabs Clara forcefully by the shoulder.

"Hey! Don't touch her!" I slap the man's hand away from my sister.

The peacekeeper however, regains his grip on her and drags her away. Clara's screams echo through the walls, and I have to force the tears not to fall down my face.

The time for crying is over. The fight has already begun. From now on, I am a tribute in The Hunger Games.

There's a five minute wait, and I dry my eyes. The door clicks behind me, and I see my father's face. Pointed and stern. I already know I'm not about to face another tearful goodbye.

"Clove, sit." My father orders me on to one of the wooden chairs, and he sits opposite me.

"Now, I know this is a bit earlier than expected. But you're still in with a chance!" His voice sounds fake. He's trying to sound optimistic, but I can see right through it.

"Dad, don't say it like that."

"Like what?"

"I know what you think. You think I haven't got any chance!" I spit. I can feel my temper rising, and my face reddening.

"Clove, that's not what I-"

"Yes it is! And I know why you think it! Oh yeah sure, I'll be fine, until it gets down to Cato and me, but then you think I won't have the nerve to kill him, don't you?"

He doesn't say anything and I continue anyway.

"We haven't been friends since we were twelve dad! And if killing Cato's what's going to get me on my train ticket back home, then so be it! I can't belie-" I cut myself off, my father's smirking.

"What?" I snap.

"That's my girl. With that temper in the arena, I know you'll come back."

I can't help it, I start to smile too. My father was only trying to make me see that I can win. That I have a chance. I feel more relieved than I should.

"Come here," My father embraces me in a gentle hug.

"Love you dad." I says, but my voice is muffled in his sweater.

The door bursts open again, and a peacekeeper is telling my father to leave.

"I love you too Clove." He says, smiling, just as he's dragged away.

I know now that he has faith in me. And I know now that I have faith in myself. I will win.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

There's an abundance of camera's flashing in our faces on the way to the train. The light almost blinds me, but I force myself to keep my eyes open. Cato strides ahead of me, his head held high, grinning at the cameras. I'd almost laugh, if it wasn't for the dull ache in my chest.

_Come on Clove, pull yourself together. _I hear my father's voice in my head. He's right. I have to be strong. I smirk to the camera nearest to me. One man sticks a microphone in my face, and I have to duck my head under it.

"Just ignore them," Says Alastair under his breath. You get the impression he hates his job somewhat more than he's letting on.

I follow Cato on to the platform, and on to the train.

"Hurry, hurry!" says Alastair. He leads Cato and me in to a room. The walls are lined with sapphire coloured velvet. There's a set of plush armchairs gathered in the corner of the room. There are trays and trays of pots and pans, all containing different foods. The luxury of it makes me want to vomit.

Unlike Cato. He walks confidently towards one of the armchairs and sits down, his leg folded on to his other.

"Someone's happy," I hear Alastair say behind me. I suppress a snigger at his remark, and I feel slightly happier than I did before.

"What can I say Alastair, I might as well get used to it now, I'll be dealing with the tribute trains again, no doubt." He smirks.

I practically feel the anger flash over my eyes, and I see Cato staring at me, waiting for my response. But I don't give him one. If there's one thing that I'm not going to do, its let Cato get to me.

"Well!" Says Alastair, apparently sensing the tension, "I better go find Enobaria and Brutus-"

The door slides open automatically, as a man and a woman, around the same age, step through.

"Ah! Here they are! Brutus, how nice to see you!" He shakes the man's hand. "And Enorbaria! Looking as radiant as ever!" He tries to take her hand to kiss it but she smacks him away.

"That's enough Alastair! I think we've had quite enough of you." Alastair looks surprised, but his face quickly turns to that of disdain. Enorbaria just grins, and flashes her pointed teeth. That's what frightens me about her. She looks as though she'd eat you for dinner.

"Clove, Cato!" says Enorbaria warmly, just as Alastair leaves the room.

"Congratulations," says Brutus. His voice his rough and you get the impression he'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Thank you," says Cato genuinely. I only nod at both of them as Enorbaria appraises me cooly.

"Now," says Enorbaria, leaning forward in her seat opposite me slightly, "As I'm sure you both know, we're on our way to the other Districts now. We're due to arrive at District twelve for one, and then we will arrive in the Capitol tomorrow."

"And then-" starts Brutus but Cato cuts him off.

"And then, we'll get given to the stylists so they can put us through hell and back, am I right?"

Enorbaria and Brutus glance at eachother slightly, and Brutus gives a curt nod.

"Right, well that's settled then. I'm going to my room. Come on Clove." Cato gets up and waits for me to stand. "Clove?"

"What, you want me to follow you? Why the hell would I do that, you've got no control over me." I snap again.

I can see Brutus smirking slightly out the corner of my eye.

"Because I said so, now come on." Says Cato, urging me to move.

"Make me." I say, with no intention of moving from my chair. Cato's eyes flicker from me to our mentors and back again, and then he storms off, through the door to the rooms.

"Well girl, that was... brave." Says Brutus.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you don't exactly seem..."

"Seem what?" I stand up and try my best to look intimidating as I tower above him. "What? Strong? In with a fighting chance?"

Brutus looks at me, his eyes full of anger now. "Yes." He stands up to me now, and now he's the one towering above me. "That's exactly what I meant."

I take one more look at him, and storm over to the food table. I select a bread knife from the table, feeling the weight in my hands.

"Woah there missy, put that down," Says Enorbaria,

I ignore her and focus on Brutus, anger pulsing through me. The vein in my temple throbbing. Before I know what I'm doing, I've raised my arm and in one swift movement, I've launched the knife so it just skims his ear.

Brutus takes one look at the knife behind me, which is now sticking out the wall, and then looks back to me. "It appears I was mistaken," He says.

"Yes," I begin to advance out of the room, "It appears you were,"

As soon as I've left the room, I begin to run. As fast as I can. I'm too late when I realise I've left the District two quarters.

I can't turn back now though, that would be counterproductive. The walls of the train seem the same to me, no matter what compartment I'm in. I stop to stare as I reach a window. The trains gliding effortlessly over the tracks, I can't feel a thing. There's a waterfall outside the track, the water's falling and I want to fall with it. I just want to get away from here. Away from all of this. Being sneered at because I'm younger for a career.

I hear footsteps behind me and turn around in a flash. The boy makes no effort to hide himself, he just stands there, looking slightly surprised.

He makes his way over to me cautiously, like he's waiting for me to explode. Good. At least someone fears me.

"Are you alright?" He asks me. He's tall, over six feet. His hairs brown and short, but his face is kind, unlike all the other faces I've seen today. It's almost a shock to see someone that's not acting as though they want to kill me.

"Yes. I'm fine." I lie.

"Then why are you crying?"

I look at him, and he smiles kindly. He's right. I hadn't even realised the tears had been falling down my face again.

"I'm not," I sniff.

"Oh. Onions? No. Let me guess, allergies?" He laughs and I laugh too.

"Neither," I say and I dry my face on my sleeve.

"Don't you think you should go back to your compartment? No doubt someone will come along and find us here. Then there'd be twenty-two tributes this year." He smiles at his joke but I just nod.

"Okay,"

"Do you need walking back? You're not gonna start crying again as soon as I leave? Because I know how big an impression I leave on people."

I snort slightly and I feel a blush rising on my face.

"Nope, I'll be fine." I say reassuringly.

"Okay, well I'll see you later then." He smiles.

"See you later," I say and I begin the long walk back to the compartments.

* * *

"And where have you been?" Says Cato, as soon as I get back to the District Two compartments.

"Why is that your business Cato?" I snap. I'm hardly going to tell him I threw a knife at Brutus and then ran off to a prohibited part of the train in tears.

"Because I'm your friend,"

"Friend?" I laugh, "We haven't been friends since we were twelve Cato, so don't pull that one on me."

"Well that was hardly my fault. You were the one who-"

"Me?" My voice begins to rise now, "Don't try to tell me it was _my_ fault! You were the one who decided I wasn't good enough all of a sudden! And now you go about acting like a possessive prick in front of Brutus and Enorbaria! As though we've been friends for years!"

"I'm only looking out for you," He snarls.

"That's the biggest lie I've heard in a long time Cato! What? You think you can try and make me trust you again, and then kill me in the arena?" He looks taken aback, "Have me begging for mercy?"

Suddenly, I'm slammed in to the wall of the train, Cato's arm at my neck. "Shut up now, or I'll just kill you sooner,"

His eyes are menacing, unforgiving and I can tell he's not joking. "We _used_ to be friends Cato," I lower my voice, "But look what you've turned in to."

"What?" He snaps, his hold on me tightening.

"A monster," I reply, the answer already at my lips.

He slackens his grip and I break free, storming in to my room. I make sure to lock the door behind me.

* * *

At six 'o clock it's time to watch the reapings, so I leave my room for what seems like the first time in days. I get to the room where I through a knife a Brutus, to see the knife still in the wall. Guilt falls in my stomach for the first time since I threw it. I've probably lost all chance of having Brutus as an ally.

While I was in my room, I pondered over a lot of things. Cato, the knife, but most of all the boy whom I met earlier. He seemed nice enough. No, more than nice. We're about to be thrown in to an arena where we fight to the death. _Nice _would be smiling and then leaving me alone. But he chose to talk to me. Which could mean one of two things; Either he's trying to manipulate me, so I'm easier prey in the arena, or two he felt sorry for me. My instinct however, tells me neither.

Once I reach the Living Compartment, I stop at the doorway and take a deep breath. _Calm down Clove, they're not going to say anything. _I close my eyes, to calm myself, and then step through the door.

Cato looks up, but his face is emotionless. Enorbaria just nods and Brutus ignores me completely. I take the seat the furthest away from them, just as Claudius Templesmiths's face flickers on to the screen.

"Greetings citizens of Panem!" His voice is high pitched and squeaky. His is the voice that most people use as an example when trying to imitate the strange Capitol accent.

"Today, as you know was the reaping day! I know you've all been waiting in anticipation, so let's not keep you on your toes any longer!" He laughs slightly at the end of his sentence, and my face turns to stone. There are no words to describe the Capitol. I couldn't even if I tried. They are unfathomable.

The screen quickly changes to District One, where the streets are lined with diamonds they say. _They say._ Anyone with any sense knows better. District One is just like the rest of us. Pawns to the Capitol.

The District One escort steps on stage, and quickly chooses a girl- A volunteer of course. She's blonde, and there's no doubt about it, _sexy. _Or at least that's what Cato appears to be thinking. He's sat on the edge of his seat, his mouth open slightly. Enorbaria and Brutus look amused when they see him.

Then it's the boy tributes turn. It's another volunteer, and as the camera zooms in on his face I feel as though a weight has dropped in my stomach. It's the boy from earlier. The boy who was so kind to me when he didn't have to be. A kind career. That's a first. I miss his name, I'm so preoccupied with my thoughts.

Then it's District two's turn. I see Cato volunteering all over again, and my attempt to remain strong while the cameras focus in on me. I see us shaking hands, and although the cameras aren't close enough to see it, I know that this is the moment in which Cato warned me without words. Warned me of my death.

The reapings go by quickly after that. We catch a glimpse of District four, to see if there are any potential allies there, but with no such luck. The boy's about twelve, and I doubt he'll survive training, never mind the arena. The girls a little better, but she doesn't look as though she's ever been trained.

I pay attention though, when we get to District ten. A crippled boy hobbles on to stage and the monster inside me laughs with glee. One tribute down already, I think. _No, stop it Clove. You are not a monster, _I tell myself. But I can't help it. It's the way I've been taught my whole life, even if I don't believe in it as strongly as Cato does.

There's a small girl from eleven, another twelve year old I think, and I feel my stomach knot in guilt. _There, you are human; _the voice in my head tells me. The boy from eleven does not make me feel any pity though. He's about Cato's size, maybe stronger, but his eyes are kind and I know, that to get to that little girl, I'll have to get through him first.

Cato seems to of thought the same thing, because I see him bite his lip in anticipation. Probably the first time I've seen him show any emotion other than anger.

By the time we've reached District twelve, I'm beginning to lose focus, to get bored. Everyone knows twelve's an easy kill. The children are always so underfed, they never stand a chance.

So I yawn, and open my mouth to announce that I'm going to go to bed, but something on the screen catches my eye.

A blonde girl, only just of reaping age again, has been chosen. But before she can reach the stage, another girl, with murky brown hair is screaming something. I can't make out what it is over the small child's sobs, but as the older girl makes her way towards the stage, it becomes apparent what has happened. The older girl has volunteered.

"Hey! But she must be the first volunteer from twelve since-" I'm cut off, just as the escort for twelve asks the volunteer her name. My attention's been caught now. Any volunteer from twelve, will always have my attention.

"Katniss Everdeen," The girls voice is monotone. Emotionless.

"Well, I bet my hat _that _was your sister!" Says the escort, a little too cheerfully.

"Yes," Says Katniss, her voice breaking.

The woman then hurries on and reaps the boy's name. He's blonde, and short. I look over to Cato and see his brow knitted in confusion? No, frustration.

"I'm going to bed," Cato grumbles. He storms out the room, hitting my shoulder as he leaves. It stings, but I ignore the pain.

"Me too," I tell my mentor's, but I doubt, they'll be listening. They'll probably be discussing tactics as to how to get to the District eleven boy.

I leave the room, and the sound of Claudius Templesmith's voice stops. My heads pounding. I feel like my emotions are changing constantly. I'd probably be classed as mentally unstable right now. One minute I'm throwing knives at my mentor's head, the next I'm in tears.

Even though I'm a career, I can't be expected to be strong all the time. I'm still human.


	3. Chapter Three

**Thankyou to SpunkyGirl6487 and DragonGirl317 for reviewing! It means a lot to me :3 **

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

The train comes to an abrupt stop and I'm jolted out of the bed. I can barely remember blindly stumbling in to bed last night, and crying myself to sleep. I wish I could put on a tough persona, but I can't. The tears just force their way through, every time.

I sit up, and sling my legs over the bed, to look out the window. We've stopped inside the Capitol train station. The strange looking people are gaping in at me through the window, even though I'm still in my nightdress. There's a man with almost no hair, and his face has been tattooed an odd shade of pink; there's also a woman, her ears have been reshaped and pointed, her hair cropped- she looks like a fairy.

There's a knocking at my door, and Enorbaria bursts in.

"Up! Up! We're here _Clove,"_ She emphasises my name as if using it as a threat, "Don't bother showering, you'll be getting scrubbed red raw in less than an hour anyway."

_Of course, _the stylists will be preparing us the moment we step in to the Capitol. Enobaria leaves me to get dressed, so I just put on the same clothes as I was wearing yesterday- a plain, cotton white dress with no frills, or patterns. I knot my hair up in to a bun quickly, and dash out the room to the exit of the train.

I hop off the train without hesitation, and find Cato yet again smiling at the crowd. Scores of people are screaming, and my temple throbs.

"Come on, through here you two," I hear Brutus's gruff voice behind me.

He pushes us through the station, towards a large arc, which appears to be floating. We walk under it, and down some steps, which lead to a tunnel.

"Where are we?" I ask Brutus. It's the first time I've spoken to him properly since the incident yesterday.

"The tunnels, under the Capitol." He replies simply. I'm confused for a moment, but then I understand- by going under the tunnels, we are avoiding the crowds; by avoiding the crowds, our entrances at the tribute parade will be even more magnificent.

The tunnel floor inclines slightly, and I know we're heading upwards. Cato looks around the whole time, his face taut. As if surveying whether the capitol is good enough for him.

"Here we are," Says Brutus, as we reach a large set of metal doors. He knocks twice, and a woman opens the door. She says nothing, and her hair is a flaming red colour. Something clicks in my head, and I know she's an avox.

Avox's, are people who have been forced to work for the Capitol as punishment for their crimes. The Capitol cuts out their tongues, and they all wear the same, scarlet red uniform. Their punishment is usually provoked by their 'treason' to the Capitol. In reality, most of them have not committed treason; they may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I know this, because every year, at the victor's tour, there would be avox's stood, waiting on the victor's every need. I once heard a little boy ask his father who they were, and he explained to him.

The avox gestures for us to follow her through the room, although she puts a hand gently on Brutus's chest as if to stop him from following us. _This is it,_ I think, _this is really happening. _Somehow, finally reaching the capitol has brought down the reality of my situation. But I will not let my emotions overcome me again. I will keep my head down, and keep a blank stare. _I must. _

For the next three hours or so, it becomes apparent to me, just how much everyone meant it, when they said this was torture. My prep team- three very eccentric men, have been waxing places in my body that I didn't even knew had hair. My skin stings so much, and there's a rash appearing on my legs.

Finally, when the waxing is over, they ask me to sit up. I do so, and they begin to cut my hair, one strand at a time. I roll my eyes in frustration, and something in front of me catches my attention.

The boy, who I met on the train earlier, the boy who was so kind to me, is sitting on the tray in the same position as me, his face with the same expression as me. We lock eye contact, and his mouth lifts slightly. I give a small, bemused smile back and he gestures to his prep team with his eyes. He raises his eyebrows, forcing himself to keep a straight face. I stifle a giggle- an unnatural sound coming from me, and the stylist tells me to sh. I mutter a quick apology, and quickly look back to the boy. He's grinning from ear to ear now. Apparently something is amusing him.

I try to look away for the remainder of the time that my prep team attack me, but every so often, we meet eye contact again. I tell myself it's natural I suppose, he is opposite me. But I know there's something else. There's a reason I can't keep my eyes off him.

"Up." Says one of the prep team, and I stand. I try to keep the loosely draped cotton outfit they gave to me before they started 'prepping' me, on my body. Which is a struggle considering it doesn't fit at all, but I manage.

I know better than to ask questions but I can't help myself, "Where are we going?" I ask the man nearest to me.

"To your stylist." He answers plainly.

* * *

I'm lead to a brightly lit room, with nothing in except a small bed in the corner. My prep team leave me, and I'm left there for about five minutes, until in enters a woman. She's tall, and is wearing a cat suit, made from what looks like alligator skin.

"Is that real?" I ask her, not caring if I seem rude.

She laughs genuinely, "Of course not, I find any use of animal slavery to be cruel."

This makes me laugh, she finds killing an animal for clothes cruel, but doesn't seem to have any concerns about sending twenty-four children in to an arena to kill each other?

"Now Clove, I'm going to be working with Cato's stylist, to make sure that you both look like two shining pennies tonight!" I'm confused as to why she knows my name for a moment, but then I realise, she must have been watching the reapings.

"So! I thought we'd go for the typical gladiator look. You know, tough and strong!" She puts her arm up, as if trying to flex her non-existent muscles.

I raise my eyes at her, "That's inventive." The sarcasm seeps through my voice, but if she detects it, she doesn't show it.

"I know! Well, it is my job to give you the best outfit possible for the remainder of your time in the Capitol!"

I roll my eyes again. The people in the Capitol seem so happy, _all the time_. It doesn't do anything but irritate me.

"Go on then," I tell her, "Introduce me to your _work of art!_"

Her eyes light up for a moment, and she rushes off, out the room. She returns, ten seconds later, with two small pieces of metal- just big enough to cover my body.

"Stand up please Clove!" I do so, and she removes the sheet of fabric the stylists had given me. I'm stood there, completely naked, but as she doesn't seem fazed by this, I try not to be either.

"Now," she begins to apply the pieces of my outfit together, with a satisfied smile. I take in a deep breath, knowing this could take a long time.


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

My stylist, who I later learned was called Jade, was speaking the truth when she said she would be collaborating with Cato's stylist. We're both dressed in Golden plates of armour, with a metal crown of leaves on our heads. Cato doesn't look at me, as we're lined up in the room with the chariots in, but he stays behind me, as if pushing me in the direction he wants me to go. It makes me feel sad to know that we used to be so closed, but now he treats me like a possession, even after we haven't spoken for years.

"Cato! Just stop it will you?" I shout at him suddenly. The rest of the tributes in the room turn to stare at us, including the district one boy and girl.

"Shut up Clove, stop making a scene," He whispers in my ear menacingly. If he hopes that will quiet me, it doesn't.

"No! Stop pushing me, I can walk by myself. I'm not a _child!_" I storm away from him, towards our chariot.

The chariots will be driven down the aisle, for everyone in the capitol to see us clearly. District one will go first, we will go second, and then so forth. This means we'll be behind the District one tributes. I just hope Cato can keep his eyes off of the girl tribute for long enough, so I don't have to restrain him from leaping in to their cart. He's been staring at her whenever we're in a room with her.

"Okay tributes! In to your carts now!" I hear someone shout, but I can't see them. Cato steps in to the cart next to me, scowling. The boy from District One turns around to look at the room briefly, and spots me again. He winks and turns back around.

I hope Cato hasn't spotted this; no doubt he'll get angry for no reason. When I sneak a glance at him though, he's too busy grooming his armour nonchalantly.

I hear some trumpets blare in the distance, and the cart is propelled forward suddenly. I grab hold of the side of the cart, to keep my balance, and see the boy in front do the same.

The cart exits the room, in to a huge stadium, with an aisle going down the middle. Music's playing in the background, but all I can hear is the screams of the Capitol Citizens as they crane to get a glimpse of us.

The two tributes in front begin to wave, so I decide to do the same. After all, the more liked I am, the more likely I am to get sponsors. I start to lift my arm, and wave shyly, smiling. I see Cato out the corner of my eye, glaring at the crowd, his hands firmly at his sides.

We reach the end of the aisle, and the cart stops to the left of the District One cart. I wait for the rest of the carts to catch up with us, but then something catches my eye on the monitors. _The District 12 tributes are on fire. _The rest of the tributes have turned around and are gaping at the girl and the boy from twelve. They don't appear to be under any stress, which means it can't be real fire. I feel a pang of jealousy in my stomach; no one's going to remember us now.

The fire goes out and President Snow clears his throat through the microphone.

"Welcome! Welcome! Tributes we welcome you," He pauses for breath, "We salute your courage, and your _sacrifice,_"

The crowd starts to scream, but he raises his arms to show he's not finished. "So! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour."

He finishes his speech, and our carts are propelled forward out of sight of the citizens.

* * *

"So! Are you ready to go down to dinner?" Says Alastair, the moment we step foot on our floor.

"Down? I thought we had dinner here tonight?" I ask him.

"Oh we normally do, but I thought it might be quite nice for you two to bond with your fellow tributes," I laugh, bond? When we're going to kill each other anyway? "You know, make a few friends while you're here in the Capitol."

"Okay, whatever," I tell him, and go to my room quickly to get changed.

The room which I have been assigned is simple, but far more luxurious than the rooms at home. There's a large bed in the middle, and a small chest of drawers opposite it. There's a door at the far side of the room, which I'm guessing leads to a bathroom.

I lock the door and take off my armour, not bothering to place it carefully on my bed.  
I go in to the bathroom and hop in the shower, turning the water to the highest temperature. There's an array of buttons, which I'm guessing do different things. I press one, and the constant stream of water stops. The shower cubicle starts to fill up with a minty, green fog. I let out a small squeal, and press the button again, until it stops.

I try pressing a few other buttons, with little success. One of them makes a frothy liquid pour out the shower; another just fills the cubicle up with steam. Eventually, I settle on the normal settings. _No wonder the people here are mad, they must put drugs in the showers._

I finish showering, wrap a towel and enter my room again. I open the chest of drawers, and I find several items of clothing. I select a black tank top, and a pair of shorts. Surprisingly, I'm not a fan of the capitol clothing, so it's a relief to find normal clothes in the drawers.

I leave my hair down, floating down my back. I almost look normal again. In fact, I'd look just like I was going to school if it wasn't for the Capitol furniture behind me, reminding me of my situation.

I step out my room the same time as Cato. Alastair's waiting for us at the elevator, and he indicates we should go in.

We stop at the first floor. "Wait, why are we here? I thought we'd be meeting everyone?" I ask him.

"Well there's no point making friends with _everyone _Clove."

I catch a glimpse of Cato's face, and he looks overly happy at the prospect of meeting the sexy District one girl for the first time. I roll my eyes at him just as the elevator doors open.

We step out of the elevator, in to the District One living compartments. It looks exactly the same as ours, except instead of Enorbaria and Brutus waiting in the living room, the district one mentors are stood there. Cashmere and Gloss, I think their names are. I know they're siblings.

The boy and girl from district one are sat at the dinner table making conversation. The girl turns around when she hears us, and flutters her eyelashes at Cato. She then looks at me and smiles sweetly. I smile back sarcastically. I don't like her, and not because she's taller than me.

"Alastair!" I hear the other escort appear from nowhere to greet Alastair. They both hug each other, and kiss each other on the cheek twice- something I thought only happened in movies.

"Feel free to sit down," Says Gloss just as our two escorts seat themselves at the table.

Cato and I sit opposite the two other tributes. It's silent until the girl introduces herself.

"I'm Glimmer!" Her voice is sweet like treacle and there's something untrusting about it.

"C-Cato," Says Cato beside me, his voice shaking. I snigger, having never seen him nervous before.

"Clove," I say, more to the benefit on the district one boy than anyone else. Glimmer and Cato have apparently lost interest in anyone else.

The boy looks at Cato and Glimmer, and smirks. "Nice to meet you Clove," He says a little too loudly, seeing if the two of them will notice, "I'm Marvel,"

"Nice to meet you too," I laugh, looking at Cato and Glimmer.

A hear a cough at the end of the table. Gloss and Cashmere have apparently been watching the entire exchange between Glimmer and Cato with amusement.

I begin to help myself to food. I take a bowl of soup, and dip a piece of bread in it. Marvel looks at me, oddly while I'm eating.

"What?" I laugh. Normally I would snap at him, but for some reason, I find myself not wanting to.

"Nothing," He says, as he begins to eat his food.

"No, what? Why were you looking at me like that?"

"Why don't you use a spoon? For your soup I mean," His face tinges red slightly, as if he feels he's being rude.

I open my mouth and close it again for a moment, and then take the spoon next to me to eat my soup. He's still looking at me, smirking.

"What? What is it? Have I got something on my face?"

"Nope!" He says happily.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

He doesn't answer me, and goes back to eating his food. We sit in silence for the rest of dinner, until Alastair announces that it's time to go back upstairs.

"Come on, it's the first day of training tomorrow, you don't want to be so tired the other tributes aren't afraid of you," He laughs.

I stand up, and push my chair in. I take one last look at Marvel and smile. He smiles back, and I see Glimmer, giving me the darkest look possible. I hastily turn away and get back in the lift.

When we get back to our floor, I find that my armour has been removed from my bed, the training uniform which we will have to wear tomorrow in its place. I prepare myself to go sleep straight away, knowing I'll need my strength for tomorrow.

I go to sleep with a smile on my face; at least everyone here isn't out to get me.


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

I'm woken early the next morning by Enorbaria, who bursts in to the room again like the day we stepped off the train. She seems to be completely oblivious to anyone else's privacy. I guess that's what happens when you rip someone's throat out with your teeth.

"Up," She says, and she pulls the bed covers off me.

I groan and force myself out of bed as she leaves the room. It must be about six in the morning. I shouldn't feel tired, I've had to get up earlier than this plenty of times, but I feel exhausted. And that's before we've even started training.

I put on the training outfit that was left in my room last night- a black top and trousers, with red and blue stripes down the sides. I pull my hair in to a tight bun, knowing it will only get in the way otherwise. I can't have that. Now is the time to prove to everyone I'm not as weak as they think. I'll show them.

I grab a cup of dark looking liquid from the table. They call it coffee. Alastair tells me it helps you feel more awake. I sip it slowly. The taste is bitter but it warms by body completely. Cato's at the table eating slowly and I make my way over to him. I don't feel like food, but I know I need to eat while I can.

I take a few bites of a muffin and force myself to eat an apple until I feel completely full. I stand up suddenly and Cato looks up.

"Where are you going?" He doesn't sound imposing anymore, just curious.

"Down to the training centre," I pause, "Coming?"

"Yeah, alright," He says as he stands up.

We walk towards the elevator in silence. I don't know exactly why we're not acting defensive all of a sudden. Maybe we're both too exhausted to act like we hate each other constantly.

We enter the elevator and I press the button to the training centre. It moves soundlessly and quickly, and in a short moment we're at the bottom floor of the building.

The moment we step out in to the room, a trainer comes up to us and sticks the number two on our backs.

We're one of the first pairs down, aside from the District eleven pair and the two from District eight. Cato glares at the boy from District eleven and the girl looks at me with wide eyes. I don't smile, but I try not to look to intimidating either. No matter how much I've been taught to be a career, I can't find it in myself to act like I'm going to kill a twelve year old.

Soon enough, the rest of the tributes begin to arrive. Once everyone's here, the head trainer begins to speak. While she does I look around the room and recognise some of the tributes. Glimmer and Marvel are opposite us, the boy from District ten with the crippled foot is looking wearingly around the room. Then there's the two from District twelve. I see Cato staring at the girl and she stares back, seemingly determined not to let him get to her.

The trainer instructs us to go and try out whatever stations we like, so I set off for the knife-throwing station right away. I'm the only one there and the instructor appears to be telling me what to do, that is, until he spots the two on my back and he stops. I select five of the smallest knives there is and move to shooting area. The man stops to stare, waiting for me to throw.

I take the first knife in my hand and aim. I throw it in a swift movement towards one of the targets. It hits the target in its heart and the instructor laughs.

I'm feeling more confident now, so I throw the remaining four knives in quick consecutive movements towards the targets. I smile with relief and hear someone else laugh behind me.

I turn and see Marvel stood there. "Impressive," He says.

"Thank you," I say, smirking.

"Want to show me how to do it?" He asks.

"Why, do you think you could do better?"

He laughs.

I take one of the knives and hand it to him, instructing him to stand where I was stood just a moment ago.

"Hold the blade in your hand," I tell him and he does so, "Just relax and focus, and then when you're ready, throw."

He knits his brow in concentration, his brown eyes fixed on the target. He throws, but hits the shoulder instead of the heart.

He laughs, "Maybe I'm not the best at this,"

"No, you'd be brilliant if the target moved a little bit to the left!" I tell him grinning.

"Come on, let's try something else," He offers me his hand.

Common sense tells me no, that I want to stay here, but I find myself taking his hand in mine anyway. He grips my hand firmly and drags me over to the spear throwing section.

He lets go of my hand and it feels cold. I want to tell him to hold my hand again, that something feels right about it but I bite my tongue.

He picks one of the spears up and weighs it in his hands. He stands in front of the targets and launches the spear. It hits the target in the heart, just like my knife did.

He looks satisfied and turns to look at me.

"Want to show me how to do it?" I imitate him.

"_Why, _think you could do better?" He replies and we both laugh, "Come here then,"

He hands me one of the spears and tells me to hold it in one hand. He puts his hands around me, helping me aim the spear. My skin sparks with electricity and for a moment I completely forget what I'm doing.

He lifts my arm back and I throw the spear. It hits the target a couple of centimetres off the centre and I untangle myself from his arms.

"Now, I think," I say smirking, "That hit the centre."

"Only because I helped you," He replies. He's smiling and there's a dimple in one of his cheeks. He looks so out of place. Everyone here's either doing their best to look as menacing as possible, or they're scared out of their minds. But not him. He's smiling as if we're someplace else.

"I still threw it,"

"I threw it,"

"_No, _I threw it," I laugh.

"Okay, okay you threw it and you win okay?" He raises his arms in surrender.

"Okay!" I tell him grinning.

* * *

The rest of training passes quickly. Marvel and I take turns teaching each other our talents and soon one of the trainers calls us for lunch.

I get in to the elevator to the ground floor with Marvel, Cato and Glimmer. Glimmer's trying to stare seductively at Cato, but he's paying no attention now. His eyes are boring in to the back of Marvel's head, looking ready to kill.

His stare unsettles me so as soon as we reach the lunch hall, I rush out the elevator without saying anything.

Traditionally, all the careers sit together, so I join the three of them at a table in the far corner of the room. I go to sit next to Marvel but Cato pulls me next to him. I frown at him, but he doesn't say anything.

"So Clove," Says Glimmer suddenly, breaking the tension between Cato and me, "I saw you showing Marvel how to throw knives earlier. Do you think you could show me how to do it?"

I decide to make it clear I don't like her, no matter what it means in the arena, "I saw you with a bow and arrow earlier, you couldn't even hit the target. Why would I tell you how to do it when you might hit someone in the face?"

She looks taken aback and opens her mouth to retort but Marvel interrupts, "So, do you think we should ask the two from four to join us?"

Cato looks at him as though he's gone crazy, "You want a twelve year old as an ally?" We look over to the two from four. The boys picking at a piece of bread and the girls staring at nothing.

"Well... maybe not the boy, but the girl could be useful," He says hesitantly.

"It'd be useful if you shut up and let me make the decisions around here," Says Cato, "From now on, I'm in charge. Anyone who disagrees, you'll be the first I get in the arena."

Marvel and Glimmer both look down at their plates, but I stare at Cato in disgust. I know he means it, so to stop myself from saying something I'll regret, I push my chair back and it screeches. Everyone in the room turns to look again, as I stomp out the room not even bothering to look back.

* * *

"Clove," I hear someone say my name behind me. I turn and Marvels stood there looking at me sympathetically.

"Go away," I say in between sniffles.

"Why?" He comes and sits next to me.

After my display I ran up to the one area where I knew I wouldn't find anyone. The roof. I'm not sure whether we're even allowed up here, but I'm beyond caring.

"We've used to be friends," I see Marvel looking at me out the corner of my eye.

"But then, he changed and we haven't spoken for years and now suddenly he wants to control me constantly and I just wish he wouldn't and-"I stop talking as Marvel puts his arm around my shoulders.

I look up at him and he looks down, his brown eyes staring at mine.

"Wow, you're tall even when you're sat down," I laugh awkwardly.

"No, you're just small,"

"Shut up," I say and he laughs.

There's silence for a moment and then, "Why are you doing this?" I ask him.

"Doing what?" He asks innocently.

"Being nice. We're going to have to kill each other sooner or later,"

"_We _won't have to kill each other,"

"Marvel..."

"Just because this is happening, doesn't mean I can't be myself. I'm don't normally act like Cato, so why should I here?" He says.

"Why not?"

"Because,"

"Because?"

"Yep! Because,"

We both start laughing again.

"Ready to go back down?" He asks me.

I stand up and brush myself down, "Yep,"

When we get down to the training centre, it's empty apart from Glimmer and Cato who are at the knife-throwing section. There aren't even any of the instructors here. I walk over to the two of them to see what they're doing and Marvel follows.

"Oh look who it is!" Says Glimmer. I give her a dirty look and pick up one of the knives.

"Oh what Clove are you gonna throw that at me? I'm scared," She says sarcastically. _Yep, I was definitely right not to like her, _I think.

I take the knife and throw it at the target. "Oh look! She can throw knives Cato!"

Cato laughs. I will not say anything. I will not give her the satisfaction.

"Aw come on Clove, teach me how to throw them?" She says, pouting.

My anger takes over then. I lunge for her with my bare hands and she grabs my hair. I scream and elbow her in the ribs. She lets go and I turn around to grab one of the knives. Every part of my body is screaming not to do this, but I do anyway.

"You want me to teach you? Let's start right now!" I growl at her.

She pushes me over on to the floor and grabs the knife out my hands.

"Okay!" She says with that sweet smile again. She begins to move the knife over my face, her eyes wild with madness. I wonder if she's always been like this or if she's just spent too much time with Cato.

I've got to get out of this though. They'll all think I'm weak otherwise. I'll be a target. So I do the only thing I can think of- I spit in her face and she jerks upright. I twist her arm behind her back and grab the knife back of her. She screams just as Cato pulls me off her.

I struggle to get out of his grip but he's too strong.

"LET ME GO CATO!" I shout.

He tightens his grip and I feel the blood supply to my hands begin to fade. I kick my feet against him but my arms remain firmly locked in his hands. That is until I feel him be dragged off me. I turn around to see Marvel with Cato pinned against the wall. I turn around to Glimmer, her eyes with the same wild look as before, but she doesn't react to me.

Marvel doesn't say anything to Cato, and he must be stronger than he looks, because Cato doesn't get out of his grip. They stare at each other for what feels like an age, until one of the instructors enters the centre.

"What's been going on here?" She half shouts. I look around the room and see the knife scattered on the floor. Marvel lets Cato go and walks away from him. We all know fighting's not allowed before the arena. The consequences are drastic.

"We were just practising." Lies Glimmer in her best attempt to be seductive. Although I hate her, I'm thankful she's here right now; otherwise we'd all be dead.

"We came down but no one was here, and were so desperate to practice." She smiles at the trainer and he looks convinced.

"Okay, well from now on, wait until anyone gets down here before fighting, okay? If this happens again we won't be so forgiving,"

We all nod, and he leaves. I look at Marvel, and give a silent thank you. He seems to understand, because he smiles.

The other tributes begin to arrive and we resume training. _Oh well, _I think, _now they definitely don't think I'm weak. _


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

I spend the next three days in training with Marvel. None of us have spoken about the incident, and I don't want to bring it up- I know it was my fault. If I had just kept my temper and not got mad.

It's something I'm getting better at. Normally I fly off the handle at the slightest thing, but lately I've been keeping calm. It's something to do with Marvel. I don't know why, but whenever I'm with him, I just feel calmer. More relaxed.

We had the last training session last night. Were we get judged by the Gamemakers. Being one of the first tributes in, they paid attention to me long enough to see that I can throw knives. I spend the first half throwing them, hitting the target each time. I spent the second half throwing spears. I remembered what Marvel told me, and I imagined him helping me throw it. It must have worked, because I scored a ten. Something I was not expecting.

Tonight we have the interviews, and tomorrow... _tomorrow we get lifted in to the arena, _I think. I've felt like I've been living in an entirely different world. I'd almost forgotten that I'm a tribute in The Hunger Games. That's there's a twenty three in twenty four chance that I'll die.

Despite that, I find myself enjoying it here. I haven't spoken to Cato or Glimmer much, only to say a few words, so I've spent the time either by myself or with Marvel. I find myself liking him. He's kind and not afraid to laugh, given the situation.

I'm apprehensive about tonight though, not only will I have to go through the prep team's version of torture again, but I'll have to be interviewed in front of the whole of Panem. I'm not a shy person, but then again I'm not brimming with confidence.

We get today off, to work with our mentors about how we want to come across in our interviews. I'm working with Brutus, as I seem to get along with him better, despite throwing a knife at his head. Enorbaria just seems to hate me.

"So Clove," Says Brutus as he sits down opposite me, "We need to come up with an appropriate angle for your interview."

I nod.

"So obviously, we can't go for the typical 'blood-thirsty' career angle,"

I open my mouth to protest but he cuts me off again.

"Yes, I know you're not weak, but unless someone's seen you throw a knife, they don't know how much of a threat you are. No offence Clove, but you don't look strong, and your younger than the rest of the careers, so of course we can't go for that angle. It just won't work,"

I want to say something. To tell him he's wrong. But I know he's right. I'm not strong and brutal like Cato. I'm not sexy like Glimmer. And I'm not funny and charismatic like Marvel. I'm not going to be remembered among them, unless I do something to show them just how good I really am.

"So, what do you want me to do?" I ask him.

"Well, we can't go for the sweet and innocent angle. That only works on the younger ones. I'm thinking you could act smart."

I should see that as a compliment, coming from him. He either thinks that I actually am smart, or he must think that I'm a brilliant actress.

"But I'm not smart," I tell him.

"They don't know that," He says, apparently the latter is correct, "Just relax while you're on stage, and give the shortest answer possible. The less you reveal, the more they can wonder. And of course, you'll have less of a chance of messing it up,"

"I'll try," I tell him as I bite my lip in anticipation.

* * *

"So!" Says Jade, my stylist. She's given me a strapless, crimson dress. My hairs been straightened down my back. As I look in the mirror, I don't recognise myself. I certainly like this outfit better than the one I wore for the tribute parade. My green eyes stand out clearly on my face, I look enchanting.

"Well, I've really outdone myself this time!" Says Jade proudly. I'm not sure if she's talking to me, or herself.

She gives me some golden heels and I slip them on and I wobble a bit but manage to stay upright.

Jade laughs, "Take smaller steps, you'll be fine," It's probably the nicest thing she's said to me since I've been here.

"Well go on then, twirl!" She says.

I do so and for a moment, one shining moment, I feel as though I'm away from all of this. For the first time in my life, I know what is must be like to be a normal teenage girl. To dress up in pretty clothes and obsess over boys and wear makeup. But as soon as I've stopped twirling, that stops. Jade's face comes back in to focus and I snap back in to reality. I am a career. I don't get to do any of those things.

Jade looks me over again, and pronounces me perfect. I'm allowed to leave and queue up with the rest of the tributes. I step out my room and see Glimmer, in a short, pink dress. Her blonde curls are shining and she's gleaming. I don't want to admit it, but I'm jealous. While I did feel pretty before, the sight of her makes me feel like an ugly duckling.

Marvel spots me from where he was standing and his jaw drops slightly. I make my way over to him and he opens and closes his mouth repeatedly.

"Yes?" I giggle like I did the day we saw each other on the stylist table. I wish I didn't, it makes me feel like a completely different person.

"You look..." He pauses.

"_Please,_" I say, "Don't say anything while _she's _over there," I point to Glimmer.

"No, you look beautiful," He says.

I can hear my heart beating in my ears and I feel my face start to redden.

"W-well, urm," I stammer.

A faint blush works it's up his cheeks too, and he smiles nervously.

"Cato!" I hear Glimmer shout behind me, breaking us apart. I find myself wishing there was a knife here now, but then remind myself that can't happen again.

Glimmer runs up to Cato and wraps her arms around him.

"Hey Glimmer," He says in a way that's far too calm for him.

I nod at Cato, and he nods back. I don't bother to even acknowledging Glimmer.

Another Capitol citizen comes out and tells us to get into line. The female tributes from each District go first, so I'm directly behind Marvel. He turns around and gives me a reassuring smile, just as Glimmer steps out on to the stage.

We get to watch the interviews on a screen above us. Glimmer flounces on to the stage and waves at the crowd. She sits down and Caesar begins to talk to her.

"So Glimmer, are you prepared?" He asks her.

She clears her throat; "Yes Caesar, I am _very _prepared," She winks at him in a way that makes me want to vomit. I start daydreaming through the rest of her interview. I know that she'll just be flirting with Caesar the whole time. Even though he's nearing his fifties and he doesn't have any intention of flirting back.

Soon enough it's Marvels turn and he's being called out on to the stage. I don't know what makes me do it, but before he leaves, I grab his hand and squeeze it. He squeezes back and then walks on to stage. I feel a rush of adrenaline surge through me, but feel Cato standing behind me. He's giving me the same look he gave Marvel in the elevator the other day.

I watch Marvel as he steps confidently on to the stage. He grins and shakes hands with Caesar.

"So Marvel, how does it feel to be here?" Asks Caesar.

"It feels like I'm living a dream Caesar," He pauses for the Capitol to cheer, and they do, "I love it here,"

"Well what's not to love?" Says Caesar and he turns to laugh with the crowd.

"So Marvel, tell me, why did you volunteer?"

Marvel takes a deep breath, "Well, I always thought I might have a great chance at winning," He says arrogantly. I know it's an act, but it weird to see him like behave like this.

"Of course," Says Caesar, as he silences the crowd.

"Now Marvel, as you may have noticed, Glimmers a very attractive girl," I clench my fists as I know what's coming. Jealousy wells up inside me no matter how hard I stop it.

Marvel just nods.

"What do you think of her? Might we see some romance in the arena?" He asks him.

I'm glaring at the screen and I hear Cato's breathing deepen behind me.

Marvel laughs, "Let's just say, she's not my type,"

"And what do you mean by that Marvel?"

He hesitates, "She's too... too much. Not everyone likes someone who shoves their beauty in your face,"

Caesar looks at him. "Well, okay Marvel, if that's what you think,"

"It is Caesar," He assures him.

I feel relieved, like the weight that had built up in my chest has suddenly gone. I know why, I'm not going to admit it though. I can't. Not here. Not even to myself. _Especially to myself. _

"Marvel, everybody!" Caesar announces him to the crowd and Marvel gives an energetic whoop.

My heads too confused until I realise it's now my turn. Caesar's calling my name, and my legs move stiffly towards the stage.

I get out there and stare at the crowd. It's enough to make my breath hitch in my throat.

"Clove!" Says Caesar warmly. I give a short smile at him. I have to remember what Brutus said. Give as short answers as possible and you won't screw up.

"So Clove, do you have any specific strategy for the arena?" He asks me.

Think Clove, _think. _"Of course,"

"And, what is it?" He asks me.

"I can hardly reveal that now can I Caesar? Everyone's watching." The crowd gives a small laugh and I smile at them.

"Oh go on, just give us a hint," He says.

"Nope! Sorry everyone," I turn to address the crowd, "You're just going to have to wait until tomorrow!"

Some of the crowd boo's and some of it laughs quietly. And then it's silent again.

"Clove. Tell us. Have you got any specific talents that will help you prevail over the rest of the tributes? They're a strong looking bunch this year!"

_Oh yes, very reassuring Caesar. _I must keep my cool though.

"Like I said, you'll have to wait until the arena Caesar," He sighs, and I hear the audience sigh with him.

The buzzer sounds, and relief washes over me. "Thank you Clove!" Says Caesar, and he kisses my hand.

I walk off stage in the other direction, my legs shaking slightly. Still, at least that terror's over.

* * *

No one's waiting for me when I get out. So I go back up to my floor in silence. Brutus and Enorbaria are there.

"Very good Clove," Says Brutus. Enorbaria gives a smile, which looks genuine.

I go to my room, and scrub off the makeup. I put on one of the Capitols nightdresses, wanting to get an early night's sleep, to prepare for the arena tomorrow. Just as I'm about to go to sleep, I hear Cato stumble upstairs, someone's there, giggling with him. I recognise the voice as Glimmers.

I'm pondering why she's up here, until I hear Cato's door slam shut. Then I know. I have to get out now. These walls aren't exactly sound proof and that is _not _something I want to hear.

I throw the sheets off of me as I think of somewhere to go. I'm considering the sulking in the training centre for the night, but I know there's only one place I want to go.

I wrap a Cardigan around me, and sneak out my room. Enorbaria and Brutus aren't there, so they must have gone to bed too. If they can actually sleep.

I get in the elevator and press the number one. On the short journey down, I manage to bite my nails to pieces. Something my prep team would not be happy about. If I was going to see them again.

The elevator doors open and I step out. What am I doing here? What if Cashmere or Gloss opens the door and tells me to go away? What if an avox tries to push me back upstairs? But I can't go upstairs. I can't. The idea makes me feel sick.

Despite this, my hand knocks on the door anyway. The feeling of dread fills my stomach as Cashmere opens the door. She looks at me curiously for a moment until I say, "I-Is Marvel here?"

She seems to understand and nods to let me in.

"In here," She says, and she opens the door to Marvels room.

When I step in to the room, he's not there. I can hear the shower running in the other room._Oh shit, no. _I think. The shower stops and the door opens. I try to turn around in time but not before I catch a glimpse of him with a towel around his waist.

"Oh my gosh! Sorry Marvel, Cashmere said you'd be in here and I just came in and then you opened the door and you were stood there. I'm sorry!" I can feel my face burning but I don't turn around.

To my surprise he laughs. "Hang on, wait a minute. I'll just get some clothes,"

I hear the draw open behind me and he steps back in to the bathroom to get changed. I turn back around just as walks in to the room again, fully clothed.

I can still feel my face burning.

"Well, I bet you didn't expect that to happen," He says.

I cringe inwardly and screw my face up. "Sorry." I say sheepishly.

"Its fine Clove, it's not like you saw anything," He wiggles his eyebrows.

I blush again and as much as I don't want to admit it, I wish I hadn't turned around. He hasn't exactly got the most disgusting body in the world.

"I know," I say, "I'm sorry to bother you, it was just I heard Glimmer and Cato come upstairs, and I really didn't want to be up there with them doing whatever they were doing, and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go-"

"Clove, you talk too much," He laughs.

"I know, sorry," I smile.

"So, you want to stay down here until they're finished?" When he puts it like that, I feel even worse.

"If that's okay," I say.

"Of course it is!" He grins, "Come on, we'll go in to the living room, I'm sure you've had enough of bedrooms,"

I raise my eyebrow at him.

"NO! I didn't mean it like that!" His eyes widen and I laugh.

"I know," I say and follow him out of the room.

He sits on one of the sofas and I sit next to him. _Now's the time to admit it, _I think, _I like him. _I play the thought over and over in my head, and it sits there, comfortably. I don't care that we're going in to an arena to kill each other tomorrow. I don't care that we'll probably both be dead within two weeks. All that matters is here and now.

I bring my knees up on to the sofa and he seems to relax more too.

Then a question works its way out my mouth that I didn't expect, "Marvel, did you want to volunteer?"

He considers this for a moment.

"No," He says finally.

"Then why did you?"

"Everyone expected me to. If I hadn't I would have been an outcast. I wouldn't have had a life in my District. Volunteering was the only chance at giving me a proper life,"

I smile at him consolingly and he smiles back.

"No one volunteered for me," I say. It sounds selfish in a way, but I don't care.

"I know," He says, "But I'm glad they didn't," I look at him, surprised.

"If someone had volunteered for you, we wouldn't have met," He pauses, "I know I'm going to die. Cato hates me. He'll win. If not him, then that girl from twelve with her stupid eleven. But I'm glad I met you, it's made my last days worthwhile. To have a friend here,"

There's silence for a minute as I weight up his words. What does he mean 'I'm glad I met you,'? He can't like me. Can he? No. He means he's just glad to have a friend here. That's all he means.

"What did you mean, when you said Glimmer wasn't your type? That not everyone likes someone who shoves their beauty in your face?" Once I've said it, there's no going back. We're on to _that _subject now.

Marvel looks from my eyes, to my lips and back again. I feel my face redden suddenly, and my breath stops in my throat. He leans forward slightly, until we're inches away from each other.

"I meant you,"

He closes the gap between us and presses his lips against mine. I feel my whole body tingle and I'm too shocked to do anything. I've never kissed anyone before, and this will probably be my last chance to do so. It just feels right.

He starts to pull away just as I respond. He puts his hands on my waist to keep me steady, and I hold on to his shoulders. His lips are warm and I don't want to leave them, but I can feel the kiss coming to an end.

We pull apart and he grins. I start to smile too. In the midst of everything happening, I don't understand how something so good can happen. Something so sweet and innocent. But it does.

He pulls me closer, and I settle myself under his shoulder. My stomach feels as though there's a thousand butterflies fluttering about inside it and I can feel myself smiling to myself. I can't stop no matter how hard I try.

"Should we be doing this?" I ask him.

"I don't care," He says, and he kisses me on the forehead.

I could stay like that for hours. I don't want to move. I start to fall asleep, and I feel Marvel lift me up. He carries me to his room and places me on his bed. He places the covers over me gently, and moves my hair out my face.

He leaves the room, and re-enters again with what must be Glimmer's bed sheets. I'm wondering why he doesn't just sleep in there; until I realise he must think I'll wake up and wonder where I am. He makes a bed on the floor, and then settles down to sleep.

I go to sleep with a smile on my face. I don't care if we're careers. I don't care if we're supposed to act like brutal killing machines. We're still human.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Hello! So thank you to everyone for reviewing and favouriting and all that stuff, I'm going away this weekend, but I'll be putting this chapter up now, and the next late tomorrow evening. So it's still daily updates :3 **

**So yeah, thank you for all the positive reviews and being so nice because people are so nice anyway I'm going to stop talking, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

I wake up suddenly. It's still dark outside, so I'm guessing we have a few hours until we have to be in the arena. It takes me a few minutes to realise where I am. Marvel's asleep on the floor, and the memories come flooding back.

I try to go back to sleep, but I can't, so I throw the bed sheets off of me, and sit on the bed sideways. Today's the day.

I know we'll have to team up with Cato and Glimmer, at least for a little while. Cato will only kill us sooner if we don't. That doesn't mean I want to though.

It's not that I believe Cato will really kill me. Not really. Throughout all I've said to him, and all the threats he's made me, I know in my heart that he wouldn't have the guts. No. It's not me I'm worried about. It's Marvel.

The look he gave Marvel the night of the interviews. I can tell he hates him. And I'm not stupid; I know it's because of me. If Cato ever found out about me and Marvel. He'd be dead in an instant.

I stay sitting for a while. The only thing I can hear is Marvel breathing. It's comforting. To know I'm not entirely alone. Then I sling my legs over the bed, and walk in to the shower. I might as well get ready now.

I know better than to go pressing all the buttons on the shower by now, so I just put it on the normal settings. I feel sick with nerves. Not just because of the arena, but because I'm still feeling giddy from last night.

When I'm finished, I dress back in the Capitol nightdress, intending to go to Glimmers room to find something to wear. When I step out the room, Marvel's awake and he's digging in the chest of drawers for something.

"Hey," I say.

He looks at me and smiles. "Couldn't sleep?"

I shake my head. "What time is it?"

"Early, but everyone should be waking up soon," He turns to face me and walks over.

"Did you mean last night?" He asks me.

"Yes," I'm not sure where he's going with this, "Did you?"

"Every word," He leans forward to kiss me again but I stop him. There's something I need to talk to him about first.

"Marvel, have you ever killed anyone?"

"No," He pauses, "We're gonna have to though, aren't we?"

"I know," It's not like I can't kill. In fact I'm perfectly capable. But the one thing the career academies don't train you for, is how to deal with life after you've done it. Whenever anyone talks about killing, you don't give it a second thought. It's only now, that I realise I'll always know that I've killed someone. It'll stay with me forever.

"When we get to the cornucopia, are we going to stay with Cato and Glimmer?" He asks me.

"We'll have to," I don't voice my fears about Cato killing Marvel anyway.

He sighs. "It's not fair,"

"How?"

"The winner's not going to be someone good. Someone who deserves to live. It's going to be the person who can kill the fastest and without regret. It's not going to be me. Or you,"

I realise what he's saying now. He doesn't want to kill anyone as much as I don't. But we both know we can't escape our fate. We'll have to.

I step away from him. "I'm going to get some clothes from Glimmers room. See you at breakfast,"

He smiles sadly, "See you at breakfast,"

* * *

Glimmers room is the same as mine. I open the drawers, and find the same selection of clothes available in my room. They won't fit me as well, but it'll do. I'll be given different clothes for the arena soon enough anyway.

Once I'm ready, I leave the room and go to the table in the District One compartments. Cashmere and Gloss are already here, both buttering a slice of toast in the same, swift movements. I remember watching their games. When I was little. I used to want to look like Cashmere- Blonde and gorgeous. But since meeting Glimmer, I've stopped wanting to look like that. It reminds me of someone, not worth trusting.

Gloss looks up in surprise, "Clove! Where's Glimmer?" He's already developing a Capitol accent, and I have to stop myself from laughing.

Cashmere speaks up, "She went up there with Cato last night," She looks back to me and smiles, "So Clove came down here,"

"Oh," Is all Gloss says. Apparently he hasn't taken the hint from Cashmere.

"Can I sit down?" I ask them.

"Of course!" Says Gloss. I certainly like them better than my mentors. Brutus is alright, but Enorbaria still seems to hate me.

I sit down and help myself to a bowl of cereal. This morning I definitely don't feel like eating, but I know I _have _to today. This is probably the last time I'll get a proper meal.

"Did you see the other interviews last night Clove?" Inquires Cashmere. At this point, Marvel steps out this room and says a quick 'hello' to all of us. He sits down next to me and starts to pour himself a mug of coffee.

"No, I only saw Marvels and Glimmers. I came straight upstairs afterwards," I realise now what a mistake this was. The interviews were the best chance I had at finding who my competition is and now I've wasted it, all because I was too eager to talk to Marvel.

"Well, it was _quite _the scandal!" Says Gloss.

Marvel looks up, "What happened?" He says.

"Well," Continues Gloss, looking as though he's trying to suppress his excitement, "You know the two from twelve?"

We both nod.

"They're in love! Isn't that sweet?" _Yep, he's definitely spent too much time in the Capitol, _I think.

Marvel coughs uncomfortably beside me.

"Tell them the rest Cashmere!"

Cashmere, who doesn't seem to have taken on the Capitols excitement at the matter, seems less excited. "The boy confessed to having loved her for years apparently," She drawls, "Now they're being labelled as the 'Star-Crossed Lovers from District Twelve.'"

I nod. I know what this means. The more likeable they are, the more likely they are to get sponsors. I know what we have to do. The only chance we have at getting sponsors is by teaming up with one of them. I rule the girl out immediately. She's too dangerous with her eleven. No, it'll have to be the boy.

Marvel looks at me as though he can read my mind, and then "But are they?" He asks.

"Whatever do you mean Marvel?" Says Gloss.

"Are they actually in love?" He says it like an accusation, rather than a question.

"Well, of course!" Says Gloss as if the opposite is not possible.

"Have you ever considered they're just saying it to get sponsors?"

Gloss goes silent. I can tell he believes Marvel. He just doesn't want to admit that his 'precious star-crossed lovers' are really a fake.

"Clove! Hadn't you better go back up to your floor? It'll be time to go in to the arena soon," Says Cashmere, clearly thinking changing the subject will diffuse the tension.

I nod, but don't say anything. This will be the last time I see the two of them. I know it.  
I stand up to leave, and Marvel follows. He gets in to the elevator with me in silence. When we reach my floor he steps out.

"Marvel, what are you doing?" I ask.

He leans down and kisses me again. For the last time we can do so without any cameras watching. I get the same feeling I got last night and I smile against his lips. I can feel him smiling too. We break away just as the door to my floor opens. Glimmer walks out dressed in her interview dress.

"Oh hello Marvel," He nods at her, "_Clove," _

Don't say anything Clove. I must not say anything. She obviously hadn't noticed my absence last night, because she doesn't question my whereabouts.

Marvel clears his throat, "Gloss sent me to fetch you," He lies.

"I was just coming back down, although I am capable of getting in an elevator by myself," She tuts.

They both step in to the elevator, and I look at Marvel. He stares back and smiles nervously. We both know this will be the last time we see each other until we're in the arena.

The doors to the elevator close, and I step back in to my compartments sadly. I jump when I walk in to Cato.

"Where were you last night?" He asks me.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" I snap.

"Yes." He stares at me, his eyes angry.

"If you were so bothered about where I was, then maybe you wouldn't have brought Glimmer up here in the first place,"

I walk away from him to the living room, but he follows.

"Will you stay with me, when we get in to the arena?" He asks me. He sounds pleading, but I'm not sure whether to believe him.

"It's not like I have much choice, is it?"

He closes his eyes as if counting to ten, and then opens them again.

"I'll just see you in the arena, okay Clove?" I surprised he didn't get angry at me again, but I'm inside I'm relieved.

"Okay," I say.

Brutus and Enorbaria stand up from where they had been sitting on the sofa. I jump, because I hadn't realised they'd been listening to the conversation.

"We have to go down now," Says Brutus, and he pushes me back in to the elevator. I'm starting to wish the Capitol had built stairs. The sight of elevators is making me sick, but it's too late now to say anything.

The elevator goes up, to the roof and Brutus pats my shoulder reassuringly.

"Good luck Clove," He says, and even manages a smile.

"Thank you," I say. And we step on to the roof.

* * *

There's a hovercraft waiting for the tributes and I walk towards it alone. _I can do this._

A woman helps me to climb the ladders and instructs me to sit down. I take the seat next to the girl from twelve. She doesn't look nervous. More determined. Marvel's two seats along from me, with the boy from four in between us.

He doesn't look at me, but I can tell he's aware of my presence. I jaw tenses as a woman comes up to him, and inserts a needle in to his arm. Another woman walks up to me and grabs my arm. She presses it to my arm and I bite my tongue. It hurts, but only a little.

One of the women, try to put it in the boy from fours arm, but he squeals, and then have to get two other peacekeepers to restrain him. Sadness spreads in my stomach. The boys just a kid. He doesn't deserve to die. None of us do. Not really.

The hovercraft begins to move and I grab on to the handles of my chair. The little girl from twelve is opposite me, and she's smiling at someone. I follow her gaze and she's looking at the girl from twelve.

The girl from twelve. I hate her already. Not only because of her eleven, or because she got a better stylist than I did. But because her and the boy are faking being in love all for sponsors. I'm not saying I love Marvel, I've only known him for a few days, but at least what I feel for him is genuine. Unlike her.

The hovercrafts journey is short, and soon enough, we land. One by one, we climb down the ladders. When I reach the bottom, I realise we're underground. A group of peacekeepers get a hold of my arms, and start to steer me to my room under the arena, but I shake myself free.

"I can walk by myself," I spit. They don't touch me after that, the just open the door to my room. I step inside and my shoes squeak on the floor. Everything's too clean, and it reminds me of the hospital back in two. It reminds me of the place you come to die.

Jade steps in the room behind me and closes the door.

She doesn't say anything, she just walks over to a railing, where the clothes I will be wearing, stand.

She helps me to change in to some black trousers and a black top. She gives me some sturdy walking boots and places a burgundy jacket on my shoulders.

"Are you excited Clove?" She says as she begins to style my hair.

"Excited?" I splutter. How can she think I'm excited? Then I remember I'm supposed to be a career. I'm supposed to have volunteered for this for a reason. Surely she knows I didn't actually volunteer. Maybe she's just that ignorant.

I regain my composure and try to act as though I've been waiting for this day all my life, "Of course!" I tell her, with a smile. My voice isn't shaking, but I've bitten my nails to pieces.

"Thirty Seconds," Says a monotone voice, from a speaker above us.

Jade takes a step back from me, "Good luck Clove!" She smiles. I manage to muster a smile back.

I begin to walk in to the tube which will take me up to the arena, just as the voice in the speaker announces there are ten seconds to go. The tube closes around me and I feel claustrophobic.

Suddenly, the metal plate begins to move upwards, towards the arena. I get one last glimpse at Jade, and she's smiling. And then everything goes white.

* * *

It takes me a second for my eyes to adjust. I've been lifted in to the arena, with the cornucopia directly in front of me. I see Marvel at the far left side of the Cornucopia, and Glimmers next to me. I can't see Cato, which means he must be behind the Cornucopia.

The redheaded girl from five is next to me, and I see her getting ready to run. I remember I shouldn't step off the plate until the countdown is over, otherwise I'll be blown to pieces.

There's a forest to my left, a field filled with tall grass opposite me, and a lake to the rest of my sides. Something metal flashes in my eye just as the countdown begins. There's a sample of throwing knives inside the Cornucopia, and I know I'll be the first to get to them.

I can see the boy from twelve out the corner of my eye. He's shaking his head at someone, who turns out to be the girl from twelve. No surprise there then.

I look to Marvel when the countdown says ten. He looks at me, then back again.

"Nine,"

I've got to get to the knives.

"Eight,"

But we need the boy from twelve too.

"Seven,"

He'll help us get sponsors.

"Six,"

It wouldn't exactly be hard to kill him when he's not of use anymore.

"Five,"

No, don't think like that Clove.

"Four,"

You're not a monster.

"Three,"

I take one last look at Marvel.

"Two,"

My hearts pounding in my ears and I know what I have to do.

"One,"

And then the madness begins.


	8. Chapter Eight

**I'm backkkk! Thanks for all the reviews and favourites again, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! xx**

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

I leap of the podium a fraction before everyone else, and sprint as fast as I can towards the knives. I'm the first to the cornucopia, but Cato soon catches up with me. He grabs a sword and rams it through the oncoming boy from eight. I don't have time to react.

I find a backpack nearest the cornucopia and sling it over my shoulder. Marvels reached the cornucopia, holding his spears defensively. Glimmers firing arrows aimlessly; missing each time. I smile to myself but quickly mask it.

I stand with my back to Marvels and throw a knife at the District five boys foot. Cato looks at me, disbelief spread across his face. I don't have time to explain. Not that I would anyway.

And then I see him. The boy from twelve sprinting off in the distance. Without thinking, I chase after him, dodging the oncoming knife from someone in the distance. I'm getting closer but then a boy steps in my way.

He's aiming a mace at someone on the ground and my frustration gets to me. I launch a knife at his back and he drops down. Dead.

The girl from twelve crouches on the floor, cowering under me. I throw another knife at her, but she deflects it with her backpack. She takes off in to the woods, and I know better than to go chasing after her.

I turn back around to see Marvel towering over the girl from six. Time seems to slow as I see him thrust the spear through her. It's too late now. We're both monsters.

I remember why I'm out here, and scan the area for the boy from twelve. I spot him, on the outskirts of the forest.

I sprint as fast as my legs can take me, my lungs screaming in protest. I reach him and slam him in to a tree, a knife at his throat.

"W-wait!" He manages to choke out.

"I'm not going to kill you," His eyes widen, "You're going to come with me, and when everyone else asks why your here," I gesture to my fellow careers, "You're going to say I caught you killing someone with a sword, and I thought you'd be a useful addition to the pack. Understand?"

His eyes are flitting around, wildly and I can feel my arm beginning to ache as he struggles. He nods and I let him go.

When we get back to the Cornucopia, I see Cato slitting the boy from fours throat. And then it's over. The bloodbath. There are bodies scattered around the cornucopia, and it makes me wonder how Cato can kill so easily without any guilt. Unless it wasn't all Cato. The memory of Marvel killing that girl so easily flashes before my eyes. Me, throwing the knife in the boys back without a second thought. I lump forms in my throat.

"What's he doing here?" Says Cato.

The boy looks to me for guidance, so I speak up. "He's strong. He could be useful."

"What makes you think you can trust him not to run off in the night?" Says Glimmer.

I turn my attention to her. "If he does, then we'll find him, and we'll kill him. Okay?"

I can hear his breathing begin to steady beside me. I can't say the real reason why I've brought him- to get sponsors.

Cato's face twists in to a smirk, "Yeah, and he'll be our best chance of finding the girl,"

I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense.

"Welcome to the careers, Loverboy," Says Cato.

There's silence as we all look around. The bodies remain unmoving. They'll never move again.

"Should we clear out? So the hovercraft can collect them?" Says Marvel. His voice calms me. If I could close my eyes, it would almost feel as though I weren't here. Anywhere but here.

"Let's get the stuff first," Says Cato, "Incase anyone tries to come back to steal it,"

We all murmur in agreement and begin to take as much as we can carry. I stash about two dozen knives in my jacket and through two rucksacks on my shoulder, in addition to the one I was already carrying.

Once we're all ready; we set off in to the woods. We stray to the outskirts just as the canon fires. Not once. Not twice. But twelve times. _We did this, _I think, _we killed them. _

Loverboy sits at the very edge of the Cornucopia, and I'm sure I hear him try to hold back tears. Cato and Glimmer are further in, Glimmer's flirtatious laugh rings through the woods. If I have to put up with the two of them for much longer, I swear I will kill_myself. _

Some leaves rustle next to the rock I'm sat on. I look up and Marvels stood there. He sits next to me in silence. Neither of us can muster the courage to say anything. We've just done exactly what we said we didn't want to, and that drains the life out of both of us.

I rest my head on his shoulder, and he holds my hand. It's a small act of affection, but we can't afford anything else. Not when Cato's stood a few feet away. I want to cry, but look strong at the same time and I can't have both.

I hide myself deeper in to Marvels shoulder and close my eyes. I try to block out the world and all that has happened. The only thing that matters right now is us. We're the only thing in the world.

The hovercraft finishes collecting the bodies and disappears out of sight.

"Should we go back?" I ask Marvel.

He begins to respond, but Cato calls us in the distance. We jump apart and try to act as though we were just talking.

"Hey Loverboy!" Says Cato. The boy from twelve stands up suddenly and begins to walk towards Cato.

"Time to prove your loyalty to us," Says Cato.

"How?" He manages to croak out. _Yep, he's definitely been crying. _

"Whoever we find, you kill them. Okay? Prove you're as strong as Clove seems to think,"

His face widens in fear, but he nods, "Okay,"

Cato begins to set off, followed by Glimmer and the boy. "Hey you two! Hurry up," He shouts.

I stand up and brush myself down. At least I know Cato doesn't expect either of us to kill anyone tonight.

We trudge through the forest for what seems like an age. After a while, the sky begins to darken and I find it hard to believe I've only been in the arena for about eight hours. It feels like my whole life has taken place here.

Marvel and I walk in silence at the back of the group, and suddenly Glimmers shouting and pointing at something on the ground.

"Loverboy?" Says Cato.

"Y-yeah that's hers," I hear him say, as though he's uncertain as to whether to tell them or not.

I catch up with them, "What's up?" I say. Saying something so normal feels wrong after all of this.

"One of the girls snares," Says Glimmer with a satisfied smile.

"So she's been here then?" I say. I feel guilty about killing that boy. Awful in fact. But the girl from twelve isn't exactly number one on my friends list.

The boy nods and we all look to each other for confirmation.

We continue to walk through the forest. Cato and Glimmer are shouting something at the front and I feel Marvel brush up to my side.

"You okay?" He says. We both know it's a stupid question. Of course I'm not okay. But I'm glad for the company and I think he is too.

"Yeah, best day of my life," I say sarcastically.

"I wouldn't say that, but I'd say it's a close second," He laughs and so do I. It feels unnatural to laugh here, but I can't help myself.

"So," I say changing the subject, "Is District one really lined with diamonds?"

"Yep! Even the roads are made from diamond," He laughs, "Even _I _am made from diamonds,"

"I saw, that towel didn't cover anything," I say, referring to last night. It seems like a different life time.

"But you loved it!" He winks.

I gasp sarcastically, "How did you guess?"

He shrugs, "No one can resist me,"

"You're right. You're just too gorgeous," I say, and I mean it.

"I know!" He says dramatically, and pretends to flick his hair. I start to giggle again and he laughs. He grabs a hold of my waist and hoists me on to his shoulder.

"Marvel! Get off!" I laugh and start to hit his back with my fists.

He laughs and puts me down. "Come on!" He says and takes my hand in his. He drags me sideways through the trees until we're hidden by a bush.

"Wait! What if they wonder where we're going?" I say.

"We'll just say we thought we saw someone," He says as he lets go of my hand.

He seems far too relaxed, but I allow myself to be too. This time, I press my lips to his. It feels like there's nothing else in the world but us. For real this time. I focus on nothing but him. He is mine and I am his. Forever.

He combs his hands through my hair and pushes me forward. I trip on something and end up on the floor. He's on top of me, laughing as he rolls himself off of me.

I don't want him to go, so I grab hold of his shirt and pull him closer.

"Clove," He begins to murmur but someone screams in the distance. We both sit up instantly and begin to run towards the sound.

There are the faint embers of a fire fading as we catch up to them. Loverboy stands looking devastated, over the body of the girl from eight.

"Come on," Says Cato. I'm glad he hasn't noticed we've been gone, but I feel guilty as well. If I hadn't suggested bring Loverboy in to the alliance then he wouldn't have had to kill the girl.

We keep walking until the anthem plays. That's the only way of telling the time in this place. It means it must be midnight by now. The girl from three appears in the sky, followed by both from four, the boy from five, everyone from six until ten and then it stops. So what does that mean?

We already knew the five of us were alive. I saw the girl from twelve take off in to the woods. Of course the boy from eleven would get away, he's stronger than Cato. No, the real surprise is the girl from eleven. She's so small I hadn't expected her to last past the first two minutes. But she has and I shouldn't be happy, but I am.

"Shouldn't we stop for the night? We need our rest," I say. I'm too exhausted physically _and _mentally to carry on any further.

Cato nods.

"I'll keep watch," Says Marvel. I know he too feels tired, but I know also it must be hard to sleep after all this.

We settle down around a hastily built fire. Loverboys already dozed off, but he keeps twitching in his sleep. Glimmers fallen asleep clutching Cato's arm. It's only Marvel and me awake.

"You should get some sleep," He says. I look to him and laugh slightly.

"So should you,"

"I'm on watch,"

"They won't know. Besides no one's going to come after us tonight." I say.

"How'd you know?" He asks me.

I stand up and shuffle closer to him. "I just do,"

He puts his arm around me again and I focus on the sound of his breathing. I can feel my eyelids become heavier and heavier. I know it's dangerous to not sleep with one eye open here, but I feel safe. Completely. _I'm still human._


	9. Chapter Nine

**I'm quite excited for this chapter, because personally, I think it's the best piece I've ever written. But you can judge that for yourselves! :')  
And once again, thank you so much for the responses, it really does mean a lot! Enjoy! :D**

_**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **_

* * *

_I'm stood in a meadow. There's a figure in the distance but I can't make out who it is. The figure moves closer and I hear a voice. My little sister's voice. Clara reaches her hand towards me and I reach back. I can almost reach her. I can almost feel her. But I'm being dragged away. Her figure becomes fainter and fainter and suddenly she disappears._

"Clove?" Says a voice beside me hurriedly. I look up and see Marvel shaking my shoulder. There's a dark smoke encloses around us. It's choking me, I can't breathe.

"What is it?" I cough and jump up. The others are already awake, running ahead of us.

"Just run!" He says and he grabs my hand. I'm pulled through bushes and thorns prickle my skin. We just have to run. Away from the smoke. It's the only thought, repeating through my mind like it's my mantra.

The smoke goes on forever. I begin to think it will never end, but then it begins to thin. My eyes adjust to the light and Marvels figure becomes clearer in front of me. And then it's gone. The smoke. And Marvel.

I feel myself thud on the ground and everything goes dark.

My body's gone limp and my visions disappeared but I can still hear. Am I dead? Or just unconscious? It can't have been normal smoke.

"Marvel," I try to choke out, but my throat muscles betray me. Nothing comes out and I begin to panic. Why can't I move? Why can't I even open my eyes?

"Just leave her! She's as good as dead!" I hear a voice. Glimmers. _That bitch._I know she's referring to me, because I'm the only other female in the group.

"No!" Another voice says. Marvel. "She can't be dead! No," I hear the strain in his voice as he leans closer to me.

"She's hardly of any use to the group! She's the one who brought Loverboy to us!" Says Glimmer.

"So if it was you, you'd want us just to leave you?" Says Marvel. I hear Glimmer sigh and someone's hands around my body. I'm lifted from the ground gently. The steady pounding of my carriers feet becomes the only thing in the world. It's the only thing I concentrate on. I feel my nose twitch but I can't open my eyes yet. It's a start.

"Hurry up!" Says Cato. The steady pounding increases pace and I know whoever's carrying me is running. Is the fog back?

No. It can't be. I'm placed down on to a slab of rock and I know we're near the lake.

"Let's just stay here for a while," Says Marvel, "At least until she wakes up,"

I hear no one respond, but I'm not moved. Slowly but surely, I feel my limbs begin to respond. I move my thumb to test them and find it moves fine. I try to open my eyes but they remain shut. I open and relax my mouth to try and show them I'm awake.

"Clove," I hear Marvel whisper, "Clove," _I have to move I think. I can do this. _

I inhale deeply and force air in to my lungs. _I can do this._ I try as hard as I can to open my eyes. _I will fight it. _Whatever force is keeping them closed, I will defeat it. I will my eyes to open as hard as I can. And then there's light.

The world around me is blurred at first, but it slowly comes in to focus. The trees are crisp and green, high above me. The grounds damp and I begin to shiver.

"Clove!" Marvel kneels beside me.

"Hey," I say, my voice scratchy, my head groggy. Everything feels heavy and I try to sit up. But I can't. Once when I was little, I broke my knee. I ended up in hospital, and when I woke, and hour or two later, all my limbs were unmoveable. It felt like a ton of weights were pressing down on them. That's what it feels like now. The Gamemakers must have drugged me.

"Are you cold?" He says.

I'm shivering and my teeth are chattering, but I smile. "No,"

He laughs. "Here," He says, and takes off his jacket. He wraps it around me and I feel a little warmer.

"Can you sit up?" He asks.

I try and move my head, but it's still too heavy. "No," His face fills with concern and he walks off to the left of me. I hear him rummaging in something. It must be his backpack. He comes back with the blue material of a sleeping bag. He rolls it up in to some sort of misshapen pillow.

Ever so gently, he lifts my head and slips the sleeping bag beneath it.

"I thought I'd lost you..." He says.

I laugh weakly. "You're not gonna get rid of me that easily. You really think some stupid smokes going to finish me off?"

"I almost did," He says. Ahead of me, I can see Glimmer eyeing us jealously. Our stares meet and she looks away, a scowl on her face.

"What happened?" I ask finally.

His face contorts in to a frown, and I notice he'd been watching Glimmer too. "I don't know," He pauses, "I woke up, and there was just this mist around us. They were already awake and running away," His face looks solemn.

I nod. I understand what this means. It means they had no intention of saving us. That I can't trust any of them. Not even Cato. The boy I've known all my life. I should have known. He hasn't exactly been nice to me since all this began.

"Why did you save me?" I ask.

He looks confused, "Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm going to die anyway, why not just get it over with?"

"Because," His voice trails off and he looks behind him. I can just see Cato and Glimmer talking angrily. They keep looking towards us.

"Just ignore them," I say.

"Should we tell them?" He says.

"Tell them what?"

"About us. About _this,_"

"I think they might have guessed," Says a voice near us. I look up and Loverboy's staring at us. He must have heard the entire conversation.

"What do you mean?" Marvel eye's him suspiciously. It's the first time either of us have had a conversation with him that doesn't involve threatening his life.

"Well last night, when you two disappeared. They kept looking back for you. Wondering where you'd gone. Until we found the girl. Then Cato made me..." He trails off.

I look at Marvel. If Cato suspects anything. It's not safe here. We're not safe here at all.

I manage to sit up now, supporting myself with my arms.

"Marvel," I begin to say. To tell him we have to leave. _Now. _While we still can.

"No," He tells me, his voice forceful, "They haven't said anything yet. We'll stay until they do. We can't afford to break off the alliance this early without giving them a reason,"

It makes sense, so I don't say anything. I just nod.

"Hey Marvel!" Cato shouts and indicates for Marvel to go over there. Marvel gives me one last look and stands up. He walks over to Cato and Glimmer, leaving me and Loverboy alone. I like him better than that stupid girl on fire, but that still doesn't mean I like him.

He looks at me fearfully, as though I'm about to attack any moment. Is that really the impression I give off? And then I do something. Something that will make me lose all hope of sponsors. Something, that if I ever get out of here, Enorbaria will never forgive me for.

"I'm sorry," I say.

His blue eyes turn from fright to astonishment. "W-what?" He says.

"I'm sorry," I say more clearly, "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this mess. You wouldn't have killed that girl. I'm sorry for that,"

"Why would you be sorry? You're a career. I thought you weren't supposed to feel emotions and have no regrets?"

Is every other tribute really that scared of me? Really that scared of us? I think of the little girl from eleven, being scared of Marvel. Sweet kind Marvel. Marvel with his deep brown eyes so full of laughter. How can she possibly be scared of us? But then the images flash in front of my eyes again. The images I've been trying too hard to erase from my memory. The feeling of frustration that surged through me as I threw the knife through the boy from nines back. The girl from six, cowering under Marvel as he killed her. We killed them.

I feel no guilt on Cato or Glimmers behalf. They've never been my idea of human. But this is what the games have made Marvel and I. We've been turned in to the very thing that I told Cato he was on the train. _Monsters. _

"Do you really love her?" I ask the boy. It's something that's been playing in my mind since I heard of the interviews.

"Yes," He says dreamily and I know he's thinking of the girl, "With all my heart,"

He says it so innocently that I feel tears form in my throat. It's too bad they've both been put in this situation. "How did you know?"

He looks at me in confusion. "How did you know you loved her?" I repeat.

He takes a deep breath, as though he's been waiting to give this answer for a long time, "Whenever I see her. I-it's as if nothing as matters. That we're the only two in the world. I'd do anything for her. Just to see her happy. Even if that means me not being with her..."

"Nothing else as matters..." I repeat.

"Nothing else," He smiles. I think back to how I feel when kissing Marvel. The first time. The second time. The third time. Each time, that's how I've felt. Like nothing else matters.

But I can't love him. I've known him for just over a week. We're not going to be alive within the next two. I can't love him. I can't.

But then, does it really matter whether I do or not? I'm going to die. I have no doubt. At least, if I do love him, then I can say that I've loved someone. Not all my life like Loverboy. But for just a small amount of time. Even that counts. It counts.

"Clove!" I turn and Marvel's waving over to me. Happiness overwhelms me and I feel giddy. Just to see him.

I manage to stand up, and my legs no longer feel groggy, my eyes no longer heavy. I've fought the smoke. And out of all people, it was Loverboy who helped me.

I grin and so does he. Nothing else matters.

"I see you're better!" He smiles and looks the happiest I've ever seen him. Maybe he really was afraid he was going to lose me. If he was that terrified, does that mean he feels the same? No, of course not.

"And ready to go!" I say. To my surprise, Cato smiles at me. Maybe he is capable of feeling something after all. Maybe, he too was scared of losing me.

"Let's keep going," Says Cato, quickly resuming his usual menacing expression.

The rest of them fall ahead as I stay behind to walk beside Loverboy.

"Thank you," I say it ever so faintly, and I'm not sure he hears but then he turns and gives me a small smile.

"You're welcome," He says.

And then I leave him. I walk in pace with Marvel and I know everything will be okay. That's the last time I ever speak to Loverboy. His name seems fitting. He's the one who helped me realise. In the days before I'm about to die.

* * *

"Hey, look there she is!" Shouts Marvel. He points to someone splashing in the pool of water. The girl from twelve. The girl on fire. She's in the pool. I should want to pursue her, like I used to. But I can't find it in me. I can't find it in me to take away the only person in the world Loverboy loves.

She splutters as she sees us. Cato begins to speed up towards her, Glimmer at his heel. Marvel and I follow and I can feel Loverboy's reluctant footsteps behind me.

She jumps out the pool and disappears in to the woods. We chase after her, just keeping her in our line of sight. Cato whoops and Glimmer laughs.

We reach a clearing and the girls already halfway up a tree.

"We gotcha girl on fire!" Shouts Glimmer.

I catch and glance at Loverboy. He's not saying anything. Just staring at the girl. I almost feel sorry for him. I know we'll kill her.

"Give me a sword," Says Cato angrily as he snatches a sword off Loverboy. He begins to climb the tree, but I know what will happen before it does. He's too heavy. The branches won't carry him. He doesn't even get halfway up, and the branches give way. He falls to the ground and something cracks.

For a moment, I think he's snapped his neck. But he gets up, fine.

"Let me try," Says Glimmer.

She aims the bow and arrows at the girl, but misses. I don't even know why she carries them. She can't aim to save her life.

"Why don't you try throwing the sword?" Says the girl. She's smiling and I can tell she's relieved. She's escaped this time.

I consider following her advice and throwing one of my knives, but I know it'll just come straight back down and hit one of us on the head.

"Why don't we just wait her out?" Says a voice behind me. Loverboys. "She's gonna have to come down sometime, or she's gonna starve to death. We'll just wait 'til then,"

Cato looks at all of us and I know we're waiting for him to make a decision, "Okay," He says, "Somebody light a fire," And he and Glimmer walk off in the other direction.

Marvel and I walk off in the other direction. After a few steps I say, "What did Cato want?"

"Oh he told me that he's fine with me and you and that we're free to get off any time we want," He says sarcastically.

I raise an eyebrow. "Seriously,"

"He just wanted to know where I think we should go next," He says dismissively.

"That was all?" I ask.

"That was all," He confirms, "Listen, Clove," He turns to face me and grabs hold of my hand, "It'll be okay. He won't find out unless we want him to. He's too preoccupied with Glimmer,"

"If you're sure," I say.

He takes my face in my hands and kisses me. It's not as powerful as the other kisses. It's gentle, and the same feeling of being safe returns to me. He releases me and says, "Of course I am,"

We return to the tree, our arms filled with kindling. We set them on the ground and Marvel begins to arrange the fire.

"Where'd you learn to do this?" I ask him. I never saw him at the fire-making station in training.

"It's not hard Clove," He laughs.

"How'd you know? You could be doing it completely wrong, and then when you light it," I make a gesture with my hands, "_Boom!_"

"Boom?" He says sceptically.

"Boom." I nod, and then start to laugh.

"I can assure you, I'm quite skilled in the art of fire-making. It requires subtlety, and I have been trained for years to acquire that subtlety,"

"Oh right," I laugh, "Is that just one of the many things you're taught in District One?"

"What are the others?" He raises an eyebrow.

"How to seduce a girl in less than a week," It's unusual, coming from my mouth. I'm not normally flirty, but I decide to try it out.

"I didn't do any of the seducing," He says and leans closer.

"Of course," I say, our noses touching.

"Hey you two!" Loverboy's looking at us, a bemused expression on his face.

"Yes?" I say.

"Matches," He throws them and I catch them. I light the fire and the flames flare up in front of us. There's something relaxing about watching the way the flames flicker in front of us. It's getting dark again, and I swear these days are going quicker than they normally would. But I'm not angry. I'm exhausted from today's events again, and I just want to sleep. So I do, secretly hoping there'll be no faces in the sky tonight. I'm still human.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Hello again! Here's another Chapter :')**

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

Sawing. That's the sound I wake to. I've hardly slept, so I'm aware of every birdsong in the forest. But this sound is different. It's coming from above my head so I look up. And there she is. The girl on fire. She must be using the knife I threw in to her backpack at the cornucopia, and she's hacking away at a tree branch. Something hangs at the end of the branch.

The girl gives out a scream and clutches her neck, but she keeps sawing. Back and forward. Back and forward. I'm too mesmerized to do anything, and then it all happens so quickly.

The hive falls to the ground in slow motion and I have a split second to react. I could save myself or risk my life to save the others.

But I don't get the choice. I think for too long and the hive crashes to the floor. Then there's chaos.

Marvel's flailing around on the ground until he comes to his senses. The wasps swarm around us, stinging every part of us they can reach. The sensations too overwhelming to think of as pain. It's agony.

"Go! Go!" Marvel shouts and pushes me in front of him. Cato comes up behind me and they both make sure I move first. There's screaming behind us and I know it's Glimmer. But we can't go back. Not unless we want to die.

We keep sprinting. As fast as we can.

"To the lake!" I yell. If the wasps are following us, I know it's the only place we'll be able to escape them. Wasps hate water.

The lakes just ahead of us. The water sparkles like diamonds. I can't tell whether it's real or not but I know I must reach it. My life depends on it. It gets closer and closer, but I feel as though we're never going to reach it. The grass begins to get muddier and muddier and I can feel my boots sinking in the earth but I have to keep moving. I have to.

Gradually, the mud begins to turn in to water and I know we're safe. I look behind and the wasps have stopped following us. They've gathered at the edge of the water, buzzing angrily. I let out a relieved smile at the sight of the wasp's downfall. We've escaped unharmed. Almost.

Angry, red lumps are beginning to swell on my neck and knuckles. Cato's forehead is covered in the lumps as is Marvels. The world begins to spin around me as the wasps disappear. _No! I can't collapse again. I have to stay awake. _I stumble towards the water edge, where I know I'll be safe from drowning.

My vision hazes in and out, and so do I. But no, I have to stay awake still. I have to. I can't pass out _again. _The capitol will be laughing at me. I give a grunt of frustration as I try to stay awake. _I have to fight this. _

I look to Marvel and Cato, who have already given in, and are laying at the edge of the water. There's a pair of beady, yellow eyes in the water, making their way towards Marvel. The eyes lift out the water, revealing the monster beneath. The alligator eyes Marvel greedily. By now, several more of the creatures are surrounding both boys. But I'm safe. I'm not in the water.

The Alligator bares its teeth. It must be a mutt. It has to be. Where are they going to get alligators from nowadays? I only recognise them from the textbooks we were given at school.

Every colour seems to blur together. The lush green of the forest. The Sapphire blue of the water. It all blurs. I can't let it. I have to stay awake.

A new thought makes its way in to my mind. I have to save them. I have to save Marvel and Cato. I can't just leave them to the mutts.

"Marvel!" I scream. My ears throb and my heartbeat pounds, "Marvel!" I shout again. The alligators turn their beady eyes on me, and slowly make their way towards me, leaving Marvel and Cato alone. Then I remember, Alligators can live out of water. How stupid could I be?

But I have to save them. I have to save Cato, my childhood friend, no matter how horrible he's been to me. And I have to save Marvel, the only person, I realise now, that I've ever loved.

I allow the feeling to fill me up. The mutts get closer and I fix my eyes determinedly on theirs, never losing contact. I can do this. You can do this Clove.

One of the mutts nudges my foot playfully. I blink in confusion, and it turns in to a dog. Not a viscous one, but like the collie I have back home. What's happening? Where did the mutts go?

I kneel down to pet the dog, to comfort it. But suddenly, it growls at me, ready to pounce.

I scream, and the last thing I see before I go under is the dog's teeth, tearing apart my throat.

* * *

I'm in a hallway. No, not a hallway. It can't be; everything's black. There are no walls and no floor. Just endless darkness, enclosing all around me. A solid, mahogany door appears at the end, and I know I have to go through it.

I walk towards it, but it moves away. I try to grasp the handle, but my fingers fall straight through.

"No!" I scream and tears force their way to my eyes in frustration. I can do this. The thought replays over in my mind and I look forcefully and the door. I will everything in my power for the door to open. I take another step towards the door, take a deep breath as I grasp the handle, and it opens.

There's light on the other side, and anywhere seems better than here, so I walk through.

The door leads to my bedroom at home. It looks exactly the same, but something's changed. The normally sunshine yellow walls are sickly. The polished wooden floor, unfriendly and uninviting. This isn't my home. I know it isn't.

A figure materialises on my bed. Cato.

He makes his way towards me and captures my wrists in his hands.

"Ow!" I say, "You're hurting me!"

Cato snarls, just like the dog mutt and forces me towards the wall of my room.

"Cato! Let go!" I squirm beneath his grip. This isn't real. It can't be real. If I just take deep breaths, it'll be fine. Everything will go away, it's just a dream.

I close my eyes and inhale deeply. The unpleasant smell of sweat drifts up my nostrils. I open my eyes and Cato's still there.

"Thinking you could get away that easily?" Says Cato. But it's not Cato's voice. And it's not my bedroom anymore.

We stand in a dark alley, rain pouring down on our heads. I begin to shiver as the water drenches my clothes. Before I'm even aware of what he's doing, Cato begins to kiss my collarbone. He works his hands up my top and I try to resist.

"Help!" I scream it as loud as my voice will carry, "Help!"

Another figure appears at the end of the alleyway and runs towards us. He reaches Cato and smiles. The smile I know so well. It's Marvel.

"Tie her down," Says Cato. Marvel walks behind me and grabs my arms to stop me struggling.

"No! No!" I howl at the top of my lungs, "Cato, please," I begin to cry. He looks at me, as though trying to torment me. I have to get out of here. Now.

I crank my neck backwards in one swift movement, hitting Marvel in the head. He yelps in pain and let's go of me. Cato comes towards me, his huge arms trying to grab hold of mine, but I duck under his grip. I scurry towards the end of the alley. I'm almost there. _I'm almost there!_

Suddenly something trips me and I fall straight to my feet. My head knocks the ground painfully, but I have to get up. So I do, but everything's changed again.

Instead of the dank alley that I stood in before, I'm stood in the meadow where I last saw my sister in my dream. Cato and Marvel have gone, and Clara's stood there again, her face smiling innocently.

"Clara!" I shout and run towards her.

"Clove!" She reaches her hand out towards me. But something's wrong. Her face isn't happy; there are tears streaming down her face.

"Clove help!" She screams and falls to the ground. Behind her stands the boy I killed at the cornucopia. His face is distant, a knife in his hand. He snarls and takes a step towards me. He stands on Clara's dead body triumphantly.

"No! Get off her!" I scream. He smiles and me eerily. Like he's not all there. And then he's gone. And so is the meadow.

* * *

I awake in the arena again. The trees surround me, and the birds sing peacefully again. There's no alligator mutts and there's no wild dog. Everything seems almost peaceful.

I push myself up and examine myself. The stings on my knuckles and neck have gone down, now only tiny red blisters.

"Clove!" Someone's voice shouts. I look towards the source and Marvel stands over Cato, who's still unconscious.

"Clove," He makes his way over to me. He touches my shoulder gently and I flinch. _No, _I think, _it was just a dream. Marvel would never do that, and neither would Cato. _I take a deep breath and look in to those dark brown eyes.

"Sorry," I mutter, "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long, about an hour. What happened?" He asks me.

I shake my head, "I don't know. I woke up and the girl from twelve was sawing at the tree, and then the hive fell to the ground. We ran towards the lake and you two passed out..." I tell him the story of the mutt hallucinations and my dream. I tell him everything except the part where he a Cato attempted to rape me.

"Where's Glimmer?" I ask.

We hear a noise behind us as Cato begins to stir. He sits up and looks around dreamily.

"What happened?" He asks, "I remember going back to find Glimmer and Loverboy was helping the girl escape. I got him, but Glimmer..." He looks down sadly.

So Glimmers dead. I can't say I'm upset, I never liked her, but guilt still sits in my stomach. If only I had reacted faster, she wouldn't be gone. So that must mean Cato hadn't followed us to the river at first, only later. I must have imagined the mutts attacking him.

"So, what do we do now?" Says Marvel. Glimmers gone and we've left most of our supplies we were carrying in the woods. The only supplies now are left at the cornucopia, if no one's taken them already.

"We have to rest, get back our strength," I say, "No point wasting our energy when no one's attacking us,"

The other two nod in agreement. "Let's go back to the cornucopia," Says Marvel, as if reading my thoughts.

We begin the short walk. It's not far, because the lake surrounds the cornucopia by two sides.

As we walk, Marvel slings his arm around my waist. I have to resist the urge to move it. _He wouldn't do it Clove, _I tell myself.

Cato misses the gesture, because he's ahead. "How long have we been out?" He calls back to us. There's no way of knowing, since we've all been gone for roughly the same amount of time.

"About three or four days, I guess," Says Marvel.

We reach the cornucopia and we're in luck. No one's touched the supplies. Probably thinking we had someone guarding it. I reach inside it and pull put two plastic canopies.

"Let's put these up," I say.

Marvel helps me, while Cato searches through the bounty of goodies, his eyes wide open with greed.

I have to tell Marvel. I have to tell him about my dream.

"Marvel..." I walk towards him just as he finishes tightening the plastic on the canopy, "I need to tell you something. About my dream,"

He notes the seriousness in my voice and nods, "Let's go over here," He says and walks me over to the side of the lake.

"In my dream... There was something I wasn't telling you," I begin.

He looks at me, half-sympathetically, half-curiously.

"Cato was there," I gulp, "And h-he came towards me, and we were in my bedroom at home at first, and then we were in this dark alley and he..."

Marvel nods in understanding, "Clove, come here," He tries to pull me in to a hug.

"No wait, I'm not finished," I push him back a little too roughly, "You were there, and y-you helped him,"

He looks lost for words but then looks straight in to my eyes. "Clove, you know I would _never _take advantage of you. Or help Cato to," He adds.

"I know but,"

He wraps his arms around me suddenly. The hug warms my insides and the fuzzy feeling that I get whenever I'm near him, returns. I know Marvel would never do anything to hurt me. How could I be so stupid? So I hug him back as tight as I can.

"It'll be okay Clove. And I _promise _if Cato, or anyone else even attempts anything like that, then I'll get them. I won't let anything happen to you Clove, I..." He looks at me, his eyes full of something. What is it? Pity? Sympathy? No it's something more. It's something I can't describe. And then I understand what he's trying to say.

"I know," I say. It's enough, because neither of us have the courage to say it out loud yet.

I wish there was a world where I could stay with Marvel. A world without The Hunger Games. A world where nothing else matters. A world where we're still human.

* * *

**So, I thought I'd take the time to answer reviewers personally, because I really do appreciate them :D **

**Clatoforever: I've actually already written the story, that's the only reason why it's being updated daily, because I couldn't cope with writing a chapter a day ahahaha! But, rest assured, they do get time together soon :-D**

**DragonGirl317: Eeeeh! Thank you so much and you're welcome! :-D**

**Yesica-Speaking: Again, thank you and you are also welcome heheh :D**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Thanks to Lulubird and DragonGirl317 for reviewing! It means a lot to know people don't just think I'm a really awful writer, which is what I think ahaha! **  
**Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

It's early afternoon and the suns pounds down on our backs. Over the past few days, the temperature of the arena's been increasing rapidly and the heat makes it difficult to concentrate for more than a few minutes. It all started when we killed the boy from ten. I'm surprised he lasted that long, considering his disability. But that didn't stop Cato from running him through with a sword when we found him.

I'm lying, just out of the comfortable shade of the canopy. I've decided to take full advantage of the weather and try and get a tan while I still can. I've always had pale skin, and the sun never shines in district two.

Marvel and Cato are both in the lake, shirtless. Cato's become a lot nicer since Glimmer died. Of course he's still the same brutal, bloodthirsty Cato, but it's easier to have a conversation with him. He seems more relaxed now that we're not on the move constantly. And I've relaxed around him too. I know Marvel will keep his promise, to not let Cato do anything to me, and why would he anyway? We've known each other since we were kids.

I sigh dreamily and close my eyes. This afternoon has been peaceful. Like the capitol's giving us an afternoon off work. An afternoon off being pawns in their chess game. It's nice to be a normal teenager again. But that must mean that something else is happening, somewhere else in the arena to keep the audiences of Panem entertained. Whatever it is, I'm glad it doesn't involve us for a change.

"Hey Clove!" Shouts Cato. I prop myself up on to my elbows and squint to try and see them. The sun's too bright and it hurts to keep my eyes open for too long.

"Marvel wants you to come over here!" Says Cato, smirking. The two of them seem to be getting on well too, considering everything that's happened.

"Just a minute!" I shout back. I sit up and roll my pants up to my knees. I remove my jacket so I'm just wearing the black top I was given before the games. I stand up and jog over to them.

"So _you_ don't want me then Cato?" I say. I'm about to say that he must want Glimmer to come over instead, but then I remember. She's gone.

"Nope!" He says grinning as he trudges through the water back to the supplies, leaving me and Marvel.

"There could be anything in this lake and you're stood here, half naked, trying to get a tan," I say, indicating to Marvels lack of t-shirt.

"Like I said before, you love it though!" He grins and grabs me by the waist. I squeal as he falls over in to the water, bringing me with him.

"_Anything, _Marvel," I say as I cough up water. So much for rolling my pants up.

We stay in the water for a bit, while he holds me up to prevent me from touching the bottom of the lake. His arms are wrapped around my stomach and the fuzzy feeling returns again. I turn my head to face him, but we both end up rolling over in the water. I giggle and splash water at him.

"Oh. Is that how it's gonna be?" He face looks serious and then he laughs. He splashes more water at me and I try to run away, shoving water behind me as I run.

"Marvel!" I laugh and then it turns in to a full on water fight.

He splashes more water at me, his face red from running after me. I turn and run again in to the part of the river hidden from Cato by a clump of trees. Marvel catches up with me, out of breath and panting.

"You," He says, "Are so,"

"Annoying?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "Fast!" I grin but it quickly fades when I realise what state he's in. Topless and in such an enclosed space. The desire in me to run quickly turns in to a different desire and I have to shake myself out of it. He looks at me, as if sensing what I'm thinking. And for a moment, I can't breathe. I could drown in those eyes. I swear they make a part of me melt every time I see them.

"Marvel..." I begin to say but I'm cut off as he presses his lips against mine. Not gently, like all the others but powerfully and hungrily. I press my palms against his chest and he loses his hands in my hair. A thought in the back of my mind reminds me that there must be cameras on us right now; surely the capitol would not want to miss this. But the thought's pushed away as Marvel deepens the kiss. Right now, I don't care about him taking advantage of me. I want him too. And I will let him.

I wrap my arms around his neck and he begins to trail kisses down my neck. Not like the way Cato did in my dream, but with care. Like he means each one. A moan escapes me and I feel myself redden slightly. Marvel ignores it and carries on. I realise I want him. I want every piece of him while I can still have it. He is mine, and I am his and nothing else matters.

I brush my hands through his hair and smile as I force his lips on to mine again. "Clove..." He says, like he's trying to tell me something, but I don't let him. I carry on kissing him like it's the only thing I know how to do. Like it's the only thing I've ever been taught.

"Clove," He says more firmly, as he breaks away from me. His hairs mussed and his lips are swollen. I want to pull him back, to show him I love him but he won't let me.

"No, Clove. Not here and not now," He pauses, "I should never have let it get that far, I'm sorry,"

I try to pull the 'puppy dog eyes' look on him but he just laughs. "I kind of love you Clove, you know that?" It's meant to be light hearted, like he didn't mean it seriously, but everything goes silent and I know he's regretting saying it.

"I-I mean... Um... I didn't mean that, like that," He baffles on trying to excuse himself but I stop him.

"I kind of love you too Marvel," Is all I say, as I wade back through the water to the supplies.

* * *

"So, did you two have fun then?" Says Cato.

My face reddens and Marvel chokes on the apple he was eating.

"S-sorry?" I say.

"Well it looked like you were having a water fight," He says and looks at me and Marvel, who are both sat awkwardly next to each other. "Sheesh, what's wrong with you two? It's not like you were doing anything in there,"

Marvel quickly recovers and says, "How do you know Cato? I'm sure Clove finds me irresistible," He wiggles his eye brows as he looks at me. It's a good save, but my face is not returning back to its normal color.

"I'm sure she does," Says Cato, smirking.

It's getting darker now and the sun's beginning to set in the sky.

"What'd you think must be happening right now?" I say.

The both look at me in confusion, so I explain. "Well, nothing's happened for a couple of days, so something must have happened somewhere else in the arena,"

They both consider this for a moment before Cato says, "It must be something to do with the girl on fire. She's the one the capitol seem to be in love with,"

It's true. If I were to bet on anyone other than us winning these games, it would be her. That's why I hate her so much. Not only has she got the Capitol ready to clean her shoes with their tongues, but she's brutal. She scored that eleven for a reason, I just don't know why yet.

"What about Loverboy? Where do you suppose he is?" I say.

"Near dead, if he isn't already," Says Cato arrogantly, "I told you, I know where I cut him,"

I almost feel sorry for the boy. I liked him. But that doesn't mean I want him alive. Marvel scoots closer to me, as if sensing it's safe to. That Cato won't do anything now. Unfortunately, he catches the exchange and frowns.

"Do you miss Glimmer?" I blurt out. It's enough to distract him, but I wish I hadn't changed the conversation to the subject that we all try so hard to avoid. It's not like I liked Glimmer. In fact, I disliked her, but I know Cato must be feeling something for her.

Cato seems to force himself to put on a brave face and says, "No. She was too clingy and whiny. I got sick of her after a while," I can tell he's lying, but I don't say anything. I know better than to try and humiliate him in front of the capitol. The nicer, more relaxed Cato that I've grown to know over the past few days would be gone replaced with the surly, threatening Cato that we all know.

Suddenly, something flits in and out of the trees, "Hey! What's that?" I say, pointing over to where I saw the figure.

"What's what?" Says Marvel, who's squinting to try and see where I was looking.

"Just over there," I say, "Something was moving in and out of the trees,"

I see the figure again and stand up. I can't make out who it is at this time but I can tell it's another tribute. It's too tall to be an animal.

"Let's go," Says Cato. He grabs his sword and runs in to the woods after the figure. That's when I know, the world I'd been escaping the past few days is gone. We're back in the arena now and I have to be a career again.

We follow the figure in to the woods, and I can just see a glimpse of a red mane of hair in the distance. We all run with synchronised footsteps, our weapons in our hands.

The girl ahead keeps on running and I realise it must be the girl from five. I hardly remember watching her reaping, and there was nothing that made her stand out in training at all. That must have been her strategy. To go unnoticed by everyone and try to sneak her way in to victory.

Hunting tributes is quieter now that Glimmers gone. Cato seems to be more determined on killing the girl, rather than trying to impress Glimmer. It's odd, without her cries and laughs. That still doesn't mean I miss her though.

The girl takes a sharp turn and we have to increase our pace to catch up with her. I can just see the mane of red hair in the distance and it's the only thing I focus on. We must reach her. We must kill her. It's the only thing we know how to do; it's what we were born to do.

The girl lets out a high pitched laugh, and suddenly she's disappeared.

We stop and scan our surroundings but the girls gone. She's nowhere to be seen.

"You probably won't see her again," A voice says, the carrier hidden by a tree.

Marvel advances to the tree, "Show yourself,"

The boy steps out from behind the tree, his hands up. "She's been stealing supplies from you for days," He says.

"You've been watching us?" I ask him.

The boy shrugs. "Nothing else to do is there?"

"Then why shouldn't we kill you right now?" Says Cato, pointing his sword at the boy's neck.

The boy moves back a step, his eyes on the sword the whole time.

"I-I can help you," He says, "I can stop her from stealing again,"

"How?" I ask. I'm curious now, but I know it could be a trap. None of us know who this boy is so we don't know what he's capable of.

"I-I can reset the mines. Make them blow up if anyone steps on them. You could put your supplies in the middle and they'd be safe,"

"Then how would we get to the supplies?" Marvel interrupts.

"There'd be a path. One that would safely get you to the supplies," He says.

"So you've been watching us for days, have you?" Says Cato, "You seem to have thought this out in a lot of detail," He presses the sword harder to the boys neck.

The boy lets out a sound which I take as a yes. Cato appears to be weighing up his options. On one hand, we can let the boy in to the alliance and keep the supplies safe, but risk having our throats slit in the night. On the other, we can kill the boy now, and have to live with the girl stealing from us again. Clearly we've got no chance on trying to stop her; none of us had even considered someone could be stealing from us. But at the thought of killing the boy however, my conscious takes over.

"Let him go," I say to Cato, putting my knife on top of his sword. "We'll see what he can do, if he's useless, we'll kill him. Okay?"

I remember the last time I made the decision to bring someone in to the alliance. We gained nothing by that. But I can't stand by and watch Cato kill the boy when there's a chance he can help us.

Cato glares at me, but begins to lower his sword. "Okay," He says, "Follow us."

We do, the boy trailing behind us. I know I've made the right decision. Whatever the consequences. I'm still human.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Hello again! Thank you to geranium08 for reviewing the last chapter, and you're right, it doesn't have a big enough fanbase! I just love this pairing ahaha! Also thanks to DragonGirl317 for reviewing practically every chapter? I think that's some kind of record, so thank you haha! Without further ado, enjoy! :D**

**PS: I cried a bit while writing this, which sounds really cheesy but idk, the life of a fangirl I guess :3**

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

"So, if I can just rewire the plates over here, and then as soon as someone steps on them, it's bye bye tribute!" The boy turns out to be from District three and he's quite sadistic for someone who's not a career. Someone who hasn't been brought up with that mindset.

"And you're sure that'll work?" I ask him. He seems overly confident in his plan, but I guess for now, we'll have to put our faith in him.

"Positive," He says.

"Okay then," Says Cato, "Do it,"

"N-now?" Says the boy. It's well past midnight now, and we're all tired.

"Yes, _now._" Says Cato.

"B-but it's late. C-can't I sleep first? I'll work better if I'm alert. I might make a mistake a-and,"

Cato interrupts him, "Well we'll sleep over there then," He gestures towards the area of grass well out the way of the mines. "Now, get to work,"

The boy turns shakily and bends down to start work on the mines. Even _if _he is overly confident in his plan, he's definitely still afraid of Cato. And so am I, when he's like this.

Cato and Marvel begin to walk off, to go to sleep for the night but I linger next to the boy. I'm curious about something.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask him.

He looks up in confusion, so I carry on. "Why are you helping us? We didn't catch you, you surrendered yourself. You know we'll kill you anyway. What are you getting from this?"

"I was never going to win anyway. By helping you at least I'll live a little longer," Says the boy. Then I realise what he is. He may be intelligent and he may be confident. But he's a coward. He's helping the most brutal people in the arena to win, just because he'll get a few extra days at life. He doesn't care about the consequences for the other tributes. He's a _coward. _

I turn away in disgust towards Marvel and Cato. We've already moved most of the supplies in between the landmines, but we've kept out a couple of sleeping bags. I unroll one and lay it next to Marvel. It's like I need his presence constantly. He's the one thing I find comfort in while I'm in the arena.

Someone snores next to me and I know Cato's already dropped off. Marvel grins and I smirk back.

"It's almost over," I say.

"I know," Is all he says. There are only nine of us left and no one's died in a few days. That means the Capitol will be getting bored. That means that soon the Gamemakers will set some sort of trap for us. And that means that soon, Marvel and I will be ripped apart. We've got to make the most of the time left.

"Are you scared?" He says.

"Of what?"

"Dying."

I contemplate this for a moment. I've been prepared all my life for the process of dying, but never what comes afterwards. No one knows what happens. And no one alive ever will. It is the one mystery that will never be solved, and it's the one thing that scares us all.

"Yes," I admit.

"Me too," We're lying next to each other, facing one another and he holds my hand, "I don't want to leave you. I've just found you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you Clove. You know you mean everything to me. I just wish there was a way we could be together. Forever,"

I feel tears well up in my eyes at his confession. I have to work up the courage to say it. I don't care if we've only known each other for a few weeks. I don't care if it will never last. I've never exactly been the toughest or the strongest career, but the one thing that we are taught which I am capable of, is bravery. And that's exactly what I need now. I have to say it. So I do.

I squeeze Marvels hand and look right in to his eyes. The eyes that have become like a home to me. I take a deep breath. Now's the time. Nothing else matters.

"I love you," I say. I feel as though a great weight has been lifted from my chest that I hadn't even realised was there. I feel free.

Marvel seems to freeze for a moment. But then I hear the words I now realise I've been waiting to hear. "I love you too," He says.

And in that second, nothing else matters. Nothing can take this away from us. Never. I am Marvels, and he is mine, forever.

I can't help but smile. It forces its way past my lips and I have no power to stop it. I've never felt happier at any time in my life.

Marvel reaches a hand towards my cheek, and brings my face towards his. Our lips meet and a strange kind of warmth fills my heart, my mind and my soul. It fills every part of me. Time seems to stop and all my worries leave me. The pressures of the arena, even the fact that Cato is asleep, metres away from us. Our lips leave each other's but I don't feel desperate for more. I just want to be with him and not in the way you might think. I love him and he loves me. I want to stay with him for as long as I can.

* * *

We stay like that, for the rest of the night. Enclosed in each other's arms. Safe and sound. When morning comes, I still have the same strange feeling in my chest. The only sound I can hear is Cato breathing deeply next to us, and the birds in the distance. Mockingjay's. I recognise the call from our lessons back in District two.

The mines haven't exploded which means the boy must have succeeded in switching them back on. I don't want to untangle myself from Marvel but I know I have to. I know I have to get up before Cato does.

I gently remove Marvels arm from around my waist and he murmurs something I can't make out. I manage to hop out my sleeping bag without falling over and see the boy from three asleep under the canopies we previously made. I decide to go and wake him before I try to get any of the supplies from the pyramid.

I edge around the mines, trying to be as careful as I can. But I slip. One of my feet slips beneath the mud and I feel myself fall forward. _This is it, _I think. _This is the end. _I close my eyes and prepare for the impact but it doesn't come. Someone's got hold of my waist, preventing me from falling. They help me steady myself on to two feet, holding me the entire time.

I turn around, already knowing which face I will meet. Marvels facing me, grinning slightly.

"Watch your step!" He says and then he let's go of me. It's as if he's acting like last night never happened. He walks away and gently nudges the District three boy. I follow him curiously. The boy opens his eyes and sits up in an instant. I can see the relief in his eyes when he realises it's not Cato, but nevertheless he still looks scared.

"Hey," Says Marvel, "Since you know the path through the mines, you'll have to get the supplies..." He perches awkwardly as the boy processes what we want him to do.

"O-oh right okay," Says the boy and he takes a step towards the edge of the mines. He studies them, judging which areas are safe to step on and which are not. I can practically feel the Capitol watching us all in anticipation now.

Then the boy leaps and lands in the middle of the mines. He balances precariously and then steadies himself. He takes a couple more hops through the mines and then stops at the supplies. We watch him stash a few apples and some dried fruit in to his bag in silence.

Then the boy hops his way back through the mines with apparent ease. It baffles me how any of us will ever be able to get through all the traps. He reaches us, looking pleased with himself, and then he reaches in to his bag and pulls out the apples and dried fruit.

"It's easy," He says, "I'll show you how to do it if you want,"

"No, I think we'll leave that up to you," Says Cato. He's appeared behind us suddenly and neither of us had noticed.

The boy's pleased expression vanishes, replaced by one of worry. He hands each of us and apple and Marvel takes the dried fruit. He stashes them in the backpack which he insisted on keeping out of the supplies, 'just in case.'

I take a bite out of my apple, pleased for something to eat. I haven't eaten a proper meal for days, and I find myself wishing now, that I had took advantage of the Capitol food while I had the chance.

"Do you think we should go out and hunt today?" Marvel says. I know he means for tributes, not for animals.

"No point," Says Cato, resuming the arrogant manner which he'd been missing for the past few days, "We'll never catch the girl from five, considering her escape last night. I don't want a repeat of what happened when we caught the girl from twelve. Loverboy's probably lying in a bush somewhere; we'll let nature take care of him..." He counts them off on his fingers, "Who else is there?"

"The two from eleven," I reply. I know Cato wouldn't dare challenge the boy while there are still other tributes around to take care of, and I'm secretly hoping he won't say anything about the girl.

He nods. Like I suspected, he doesn't want to confront the boy from eleven just yet.

"So how did you make it this far?" Says Cato, narrowing his eyes at the boy from three.

The boy's voice is high-pitched and nasally when he answers. I guess he's always spoken like that, but I've only just noticed it now. When I can let my guard down a bit. "I just have. I used up the supplies from the cornucopia and stayed on the edges of the forest, waiting until I could show myself to you guys,"

I still don't understand why he would purposely bring himself in to our alliance. The little chance that he might have had has gone. We know he's here now. But I don't question him about it. Whatever the reason it must be pretty good.

It's hot again. Hotter than yesterday. It's only late morning, and the suns already high in the sky. Droplets of sweat are appearing on the boys foreheads and I know I probably look the same. Despite my dream, I don't feel vulnerable as the only girl in the alliance. I have Marvel to protect me. And it isn't like I can't protect myself. I may not be the toughest or the strongest, but I can kill just as well as Marvel or Cato. I just hope the Capitol doesn't underestimate me.

"I'm going out to hunt for lunch," I say, hoping they get the hint that I'm going to find food to eat, not kill tributes.

Marvel stands up, "I'll come with you," He says, a smile plastered across his face.

"Okay," I say. The butterflies in my stomach are fluttering again, but I try to ignore it.

* * *

Once we get in to the woods, everything goes silent. I tell myself it's just because we're trying to hunt and don't want to disturb the prey. But it's uncomfortable, and I don't like it.

"Marvel..." I say finally. He looks at me and smiles, but doesn't say anything. "Last night," I say it as a statement, like we can no longer avoid talking about it. "I meant what I said. I'm sure of it."

There's a moments silence, until he replies, "So did I,"

Neither of us knows quite what to say after this. I mean, what can you say when you've just confessed your love for someone, but you'll probably both be dead within the next week? He takes a step closer to me and holds both my hands, soothing it encouragingly. "I love you Clove," He says more firmly, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but since I can't, I want to spend every possible moment that I can with you. Every second counts, and I want to make it count with you,"

My breath hitches in my throat. I feel unable to breathe and the butterflies are working even harder now.

"This is crazy," Is all I can say. I don't mean it in a bad way, but it is. That's the sort of thing you say to someone who you've been in love with for years- not someone you've known for a few weeks.

"I know," He says and laughs, "Come on," He says and he grabs my hand.

I take it and he pulls me through the forest again, like he did the first night in the arena. I don't object, because who knows will be our last moments together? Every second needs to count. _Every second. _

He stops in a clearing. Light breaks through a crack in the trees and the airs warm. But not uncomfortably warm. It feels like spring. It feels like the start of something new.

Marvel takes hold of my waist and I look up to him. I remember the first time I saw him I noted how tall he was compared to me. We must look stupid right now, but I don't care. Happiness fills the whole of me, and nothing else matters.

Marvel's smile beams as he kisses me tenderly. All coherent thoughts go out my head- the one thought I am capable of, replays over and over in my mind; '_I love you,' _I think. I think it, trying to make Marvel read my mind. So he knows, he has me now and he has me forever.

We break apart, his face dreamlike.

"I guess we should start hunting then?" I say, "We can't go back with nothing,"

He seems to jump out of his haze suddenly, "Yeah... You go over that way, and I'll stay here," He says.

I stay close to the shadows, moving as closely as I can. I still feel warm from my encounter with Marvel, but I have to push it aside. Now is the time to hunt. The further away from the clearing I get, the more alone I feel. But I have to stay strong. For Marvel. And for my family. For Clara. I feel guilty when I realise the last time I thought of my family or my life back in District two was just after the dream- almost two days ago. Surely I should be thinking of them all the time? I wonder what they think of Marvel and me. Whether they approve of him. What my friends would say. I guess they don't really get a say, since it's highly unlikely I'll ever see either of them again.

_Snap. _A twig cracks ahead of me, and my eyes dart towards it. There's some sort of creature scurrying about a large oak tree. It looks like some sort of wild turkey, so I guess it's alright to eat. I throw a knife at it before it even has chance to notice me, and it's dead. I stalk slowly up to it. The knife hit in right in the heart, and it looks like it'll make big enough a meal for all of us, so I take it. I remove the knife from its chest and carry the turkey by its feet.

When I reach the clearing, Marvels set up a net and tied it to a tree. He sees the turkey in my hand and smiles.

"What's that for?" I ask curiously.

"It's a snare. Just in case. Although since you've got that, we might as well go back now," He says.

"I didn't know you knew how to make snares," I laugh.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me Clove," He wiggles his eyebrows. I laugh at his expression and soon we're both in fits of laughter. We're not really laughing about anything in particular, but that's why I don't stop. I haven't laughed like this in a while, and it feels good to be normal for once.

"Are you gonna just leave that there?" I ask him, indicating to the net which is knotted around the trunk of a tree.

"Might as well, we can come back in the morning. See if there's anything worth catching," He says.

I nod in agreement and we begin the walk back to our camp.

* * *

"That's all you got?" Says Cato, when he notices the wild turkey in my hands. It was a short walk back, but I'm hungry now and the only thing I can concentrate on is the constant growling in my stomach.

"There wasn't much to hunt," I mutter as I begin to skin the turkey. It's disgusting, but my hunger takes over.

"Here, let me do that," Says Marvel, and he takes the turkey off of me. I would say no. Say that I can do it myself. But the stench of the turkey is making me gag and I'm glad he offered.

I go over to the lake to clean my hands, and when I get back Marvels finished with the turkey and is stoking it over a fire. I sit next to him and watch the flames. They're not helping with the stifling heat. It's just past midday now and the arena is just getting hotter and hotter.

Cato sits opposite us, eyeing us curiously again.

"What?" I say, startling him from his glare.

"You two. Why do you always go everywhere together? Is it not supposed to be your district partner, who you're most loyal to?" He says.

"Cato, I'm equally loyal to both of you," I try to reassure him. Marvels eyes are fixated on the turkey, but his body is tense next to me, and I can tell he's ready to leave if necessary.

"I understand, you know," He whispers it, more to me than anyone else, but I can tell Marvel can hear everything he's saying.

"Mind what?"

"If you like him better than me. Like you said, I'm a monster," He wryly. I frown at him, but think its best not to say anything. I'm not sure exactly where he's going with this, so I don't want to start a fight now.

Marvel finishes with the turkey and hands each of us a leg. The boy from three sits some distance away, and he accepts the turkey without a word.

I devour the leg quickly; it feels like it's the first thing I've eaten for weeks, even though it isn't. I must look disgusting, eating it. The Capitol must be in rage at my manners. But I'm sure they've seen worse things in the games, than a girl from District two who's hungry for her lunch.

Marvel moves his feet closer to mine, as if trying to comfort me without Cato noticing. I smile at the gesture, but quickly remove it from my face when I catch Cato glaring at the two of us.

"What?" I snap. I know I shouldn't approach the subject, but I can't help myself.

Cato laughs in disbelief, "You actually do don't you? You like him better than me! What was it? I spent too much time with Glimmer? Did you get jealous?" He whines the last word as if trying to imitate me.

I open my mouth the respond but Marvel gets there first, "Well maybe if you hadn't of taken Glimmer up to your bedroom the night before the arena, then she'd have a bit more respect for you,"

"That's none of either of your business what I choose to do!" He shouts.

"You can't expect us just to let you do whatever the hell you like, and then not let us at least have an opinion Cato!" Says Marvel.

I have to step in now. I have to say something. They'll end up fighting and it'll be my fault for bringing up the subject again.

"Shut up!" I shout, standing between the both of them, "Cato, you can't tell me what to think and you shouldn't be blaming Marvel for it! Okay?"

Cato's fuming and Marvels face is red with anger. It's the first time I've seen him look properly angry since the day Glimmer attacked me in the training centre.

"Forget it," Says Cato, "We stay together for today and then the alliance is over tomorrow," And he storms away from us, and sits in the shade of the canopy.

We're all too in shock to say anything. Breaking the alliance now, means an angry Cato lose in the arena. That means a lot more dead tributes. And what about the capitol watching? How will they take to the alliance breaking up? Will the Gamemakers set some sort of trap for us now?

I lose myself in my thoughts until Marvel catches my attention. "Hey! Look Guys!" He says, talking to us as if the argument a few minutes ago never happened. He points to a thick smoke emerging from the woods. "Come on," He says and I begin to follow him in to the woods.

"Stay here," Says Cato, thrusting a spear in to the District three boy's arms. The boy sits down in apparent shock, and we disappear in to the trees.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins!**

**So thank you again for the reviews, it means a lot, as I've said, and I hope you absolutely love reading this chapter as much as I HATED writing it, and I also hope I've done the moment justice :D**

**And also, I may or may not have started weeping buckets in this chapter.**

* * *

We get in to the woods, and all is silent around us. _Too silent. _The mockingjay's that can normally be heard are still and there isn't an animal moving anywhere. A worry nags in the back of my mind that the smoke could have been one of the Gamemakers traps, but I don't voice it. If it is, the Gamemakers will only do something to drive us towards the trap faster.

Cato walks in front of us, his sword raised in his arms. We stopped running when we realised how quiet it was. I think it scares us all.

Marvel slips his hand in to mine and I squeeze it. We slowly inch forward through the trees, every sense alert. The smokes no long visible while we're in the woods, so we're just following our instincts.

This has to be a trap. No idiot would have made it this far in the games and then have been stupid enough to light a fire in broad daylight. I can't believe we didn't think of that before. And now we've been pulled right in to the trap.

"Guys," I begin to say, but before I can say anymore, there's an explosion in the distance and the ground shakes. I start to lose my balance, but Marvel grabs hold of my elbow to keep me steady.

Cato looks at us, his eyes wide with anger. Unless it's the Gamemakers, there's only one place that explosion could have come from and I have a feeling it wasn't the Gamemakers.

Cato doesn't even take a second to think before he's sprinting back to the cornucopia and we're following behind him.

The woods are no longer quiet. The mockingjay's are screaming, echoing the explosion. Animals are scurrying about, trying to find a safe place. It's alright for them. They don't have to compete in the hunger games. They won't have to deal with Cato when we get back.

I must be going mad- comparing my life to an animal's. They're probably mutts anyway.

I feel Marvel's presence behind me and I can just see Cato's figure sprinting away ahead. I know that before we even get to the cornucopia, regardless of what's happened, the boy from District three is dead, if he isn't already. He's the only person Cato will take his anger out on. We left him there in charge and he will pay.

We reach the clearing of the woods and I feel the feeling of dread in my stomach. Whatever I expected, I could never have imagined this.

The supplies are gone, completely. Nothing has been spared. There are scorch marks on the ground around the mines and the air smells of burning. I stare in disbelief for a moment. This is my fault, again. If only I hadn't insisted on bringing the boy from District three in to the alliance. If only I hadn't saved him. If only mercy hadn't got the better of me. Now we have nothing. We're equals to all the other tributes. We'll have to work for our food, and get sponsors for everything else. Now, we are nothing.

The boy from District three stands in the middle of the explosion. He's rotating on the spot, eyes wide, staring at the ground. I think I can see him inhale deeply, as if he knows what's going to happen. No, this isn't my fault. This is his. I will let the blame fall on him; I will tell myself that this isn't my fault. It can't be.

"What the hell happened?" Cato charges up to the boy and towers over him threateningly. The boy recoils beneath him. He looks like a mouse compared to Cato, who's brutal and bloody, and will kill in an instant.

"I-I don't know, I-"He stutters. I should go over now, I should say something.

"Cato! Calm down," I try to say it like a request, not a demand, but I'm so on edge that it doesn't come out like that.

He shifts his attention to me, "You can't tell me what to do Clove. We're not allies _anymore _remember?" He trying to intimidate me as well, but I'm having none of it. I will not back down to him.

"It'll be okay, just listen to what the boy has to-"I'm cut off as Cato grips the boys shoulder in his hand. He places the other on his neck. There's a sickening crunching noise as he twists the boy's bones. And then he's dead.

I should have known it would happen. I _did _know it would happen. But I'm still in shock as the boy lies awkwardly on the ground next to us, his lifeless eyes looking back at us.

My anger gets the better of me now, "You idiot Cato! Now we'll never know what happened!"

For a second I think he's going to kill me too, but Marvel steps between us, just like I did earlier today.

"Both of you stop it! We need to calm down. It's not doing us any good shouting at each other,"

I realise he's right, and don't say anything else. We're not going to make the world any better by shouting at it.

Cato looks torn between disagreeing and agreeing. I think for a moment, he's going to start shouting again, but he doesn't. He does something else. He storms over to the ashes and starts throwing them everywhere.

"Cato!" I shout at him to try and calm him down, but it has no effect. He carries on destroying the remaining supplies until his anger is satisfied. Marvel and I just watch, knowing we can't do anything to stop him. When he does, it's not because he's calmed down. It's because he's found something, hidden in the wreckage. A single, silver arrow lies innocently on the floor. It can't have come from us because we left the only sheath of arrows with Glimmer. Glimmers dead.

That means whoever did this, stole the arrows from Glimmer before her body got taken away. The only person near enough to the tracker-jacker attack was the girl from twelve. She did this and I know once Cato comes to the same realisation as me, he'll want her blood.

I slowly see his expression turn in to one of understanding, and then he looks murderous. He straightens himself up and says, "We'll find her. Now. And when we do, don't hesitate to kill her," He says.

Marvel and I look at each other will worry. What does he mean? Are we going to split up? I don't get chance to ask before Cato says, "You two go that way, I'll go this way,"

"But I thought we weren't allies any-" I start to say, but he ignores me and runs in to the woods.

Marvel and I leave the wreckage side by side, until we reach the forest edge.

"You go that way, I'll go this way?" He says, indicating which direction I should go in before looking back at me. Those eyes that I love so much, aren't forcing me to do anything. I don't want to leave him. I want to stay with him, forever. But I know I'll have to go. I have to find he girl. So I nod.

"I love you," He says.

"I love you too," I reply. I don't know why he's saying all this again. It's as if he doesn't want to leave me too. He leans down and kisses me gently. The warmth begins to fill me, just like last time, but he breaks away. I know I have to go now.

"I'll see you later," He says and he walks further in to the woods, until I can see him no more.

"See you later," I mutter to myself, smiling slightly.

* * *

I walk slowly through the woods, like I did when I was looking for something to hunt. I don't want to run because she'll realise I'm here. I take a knife from the inside of my jacket and hold it in my hand, ready to aim.

The arenas' getting colder now, as time seems to pass. I can't see anything ahead of me, but I'm alert to every sound. I have to focus on the mission in front of me. _I must kill the girl, she blew up our supplies. _It was her fault, it wasn't mine. It wasn't mine. It'll never be mine.

I can't seem to summon up the courage to want to kill her, though I know I will. When the time comes.

A small glimmer of hope rises up in me, when I think of the girl dead. I hadn't realised until now, but she's the one I'm worried about. She's the one I know will win. I can feel it, in my gut. Cato and Thresh will probably finish each other off, and the other tributes are as good as dead anyway when we find them. That will leave Marvel and me. If I can just find her. If I can just kill her.

I try to think of a world where things would be different. Where I could be with Marvel. It's comforting, while I'm out in these woods alone. If by some miracle, the Gamemakers decide to let there be two victors this year, I will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in my way to make it me and Marvel. I love him and we have to be together. I don't want to die.

_Snap. _I step on something and jump. When I see it's a tree branch, I calm down. I hadn't realised how tense I was. I shouldn't be this tense. I'm a career; I'm not supposed to be afraid of anything. But I am.

All of a sudden, the mockingjay's start to sing again. A four note tune that chills me down to the core. It sounds like they're all singing in unison, the same tune. I've never heard them do that before, and in an instant I know something is wrong.

"Rue!" I hear someone cry. It has to be the girl from twelve. I try to follow her voice, as she carries on saying the other girl's name.

"Rue!" The voice is getting quieter, which means she must be further away. I sprint to follow it, but it's getting harder to trace it.

_Boom. _The sound of the canon vibrates through me. What's happened? Is it the girl from twelve?

I must be getting closer to the voice because it's getting louder again. I hear the girl from twelve's sobs which means the girl called Rue must be dead. It has to have been her canon. It has to have been.

_Boom. _The canon sounds again. Fear resonates through me. I can still hear the girl crying as I get closer. I stop on the spot. Why were there two? I tell myself it must have been Cato; he must have found the girl from five.

I keep running towards the voice through the endless forest. My bodies running only on adrenaline and panic. I've never ran this fast in my life. I have to find Marvel. I have to make sure he's okay.

It feels as though I'm running for hours, as no more canons sound. All the while I can hear a voice singing. What's going on? The mockingjay's pick up the voice and start to sing the same song. It starts to drive me insane. The never ending tune. But I keep running. I have to get to Marvel.

I reach the clearing Marvel and I visited earlier that day. I'm dizzy from running and I have to lean on a tree to support myself. When the world blurs in to focus, my lungs fail me. The little girl from eleven is laid on the floor, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. She looks almost peaceful.

Then I catch sight of the body laying a little way away from her. Marvel. I run towards him, ignoring the pangs of protest from my chest. I reach him and kneel beside him. His eyes are closed and my hand on his cheek, tells me he's cold. A strained noise escapes me and I'm powerless to stop it.

"Marvel," I choke out, "Marvel wake up, get up," I slap his cheek and try to wake him. But he doesn't stir. I refuse to believe it. I won't say it. I won't even think it. He can't be gone. A strangled cry forces its way up my throat as the first tear falls down my cheek. I say his name over and over, but there's no response. Why would there be? This moment had to come eventually.

I shouldn't have left him. It's my fault. My chin wavers and more tears fall on to his chest. I try to lift him, to get him to wake up. That's when I notice the arrow sticking out his chest. Right in his heart.

I think of when I hit the turkey with the knife, right in the heart. It was dead before it could even realise what had happened. Is that what happened to Marvel? He didn't even get to say goodbye?

No, I can't think like that. I have to get the girl on fire. She did this. She killed Marvel. Now that I admit it to myself, it seems easier to move on. _He's dead, Clove. You have to leave him. The hovercraft will be coming. _The voice nags inside the back of my head.

But I want to stay with him. I want to remember all the times I spent with him. The only boy I've ever loved, and he's gone. It was just last night that we admitted that to each other. Just yesterday when we kissed each other in the lake. It feels like an age ago. And now he's dead. And I'll never see him again.

I hear the hovercraft appearing up ahead. I have to go now. I have to leave him. I have to be strong.

I lean over to him one last time, and place a kiss on his lips. I want to say goodbye. I want to tell him I love him again. But I know he won't hear, so instead I say something which will put me last on the Capitol's leaderboards. I say something that will mean the odds will be entirely not in my favour. I say, "See you soon,"

I force myself to stand up. My legs are shaking but I make myself stay steady. I won't have to wait long to see him again, these games are almost over anyway. I never was a contender.

The hovercraft descends and I know I have to move away. I have to be brave. For Marvel. I drag myself away from the bodies, to the edge of the clearing. The lights fading now and the arenas cool. The clearing which, earlier today, reminded me of the start of something new, now looks like the end of everything. My whole world.

I take on last look at Marvel and then I turn. I run. Away from the clearing and away from Marvel. I have no one now. No one I can rely on. I am truly alone. The only ally that I have left is Cato, but what sort of an ally is he? He said the alliance was over. Does that still apply now Marvel's gone?

I know I have to find him though. I have to tell him before Marvels face appears in the sky tonight. I don't know why, but I have to. Maybe it's because my emotions are everywhere at the moment. I want to break down, sobbing. I want to scream at the world even though no one will scream back. I want to kill the girl on fire more than anything. But then I don't, because mercy gets the better of me. People expect me to be tough. To act like a career. But even the toughest of careers can be forgiven for showing emotion. After all, we're still human.

* * *

**So that's it! I'm sorry, I know a few of you lovely readers hoped for Marvel to survive, but from the start, I wanted the story to be as though this could have actually happened, and that it wasn't AU, so by making Marvel and Clove the winners, it would detract from the 'realness' of the story I guess? Anyway, I hope I haven't upset too many of you ahaha! **

**Love, Amy xxoxox**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Hello again! So this chapters a bit depressing, but I felt like I needed to show Clove being confused and conflicted about Marvel, because I don't believe she would be entirely upset all the time, I think her mood would have changed and I don't know, I'm not making any sense, but any way thankyou for reviewing and enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

I keep running. I keep running until I reach the cornucopia. Cato's already there, looking out of breath. He must have run back as soon as he heard the canons. He sees me and I think I see relief was over his face. Part of me wants him to be dead instead of Marvel, but the other half just wants to talk to a familiar face. Ultimately, the latter wins.

"Clove!" Cato shouts. I run towards him and his face drops. I must look a state. My hairs tangled and my eyes are red and blotchy from crying. When I reach him, I try to speak, but my no noise escapes my throat. I can't bring myself to speak.

"Clove, what happened?" He says. I look towards him and almost start crying again. How can I explain it to him? How can I explain that Marvel is dead?

"Clove, who were the canons for? Did you get the girl?"

I shake my head. I can't tell him. _I can't. _But I have to. When I speak, my voice is hoarse and unlike my own, "The girl from eleven," I tell him.

He nods and waits for me to speak again. I inhale deeply to try and calm myself, "A-and... A-and M-marvel," I say. My voice breaks at his name and a fresh wave of tears fall down my face. I have to stop this. I'm a career. Cato doesn't know about my feelings for Marvel. I have to stop this.

Cato's jaw drops slightly, but he closes it immediately after. "How?" He says.

"I-I don't know about the girl," I begin to say, but then I remember how to snare Marvel set up was broken. How the girl was laying a few metres away from it. She must have accidently got caught in it and Marvel must have shot her. "I-I think M-marvel got her," My voice trembles on his name, like something's trying to stop me saying it.

"And what about him?" Says Cato. He seems too calm for the situation. As though he's had practice retaining grief.

I'm sure of the answer when I say it. The arrow that was in his chest proves that. "The girl from twelve," I say.

The muscle in Cato's jaw clenches and I know that our mission is the same now. Cato wants to kill the girl because he's Cato. I want to kill her because she killed Marvel. A wave of blood lust washes over me, and I know that I will kill her. I will kill her for Marvel.

"When the time comes, I want to kill her," I say finally, my breathing heavy. This is what the career academies do to us. They teach us to forget mercy and to have the desire to kill. I know I won't get out these games alive, but this will be my dying wish. To get the girl.

Cato observes me for a moment, as if checking if I'm the same person as before, "Make sure you give the Capitol a good show," He says.

I don't care how I kill her, I just want her dead. So I agree. There's a few moments silence before either of us decides to say anything.

"Is there anything left?" I say, indicating to the remaining supplies that Cato hadn't destroyed.

While Cato searches through the supplies I think back to this last night. Less than twenty-four hours ago, I told Marvel I loved him, and he told me the same. Could it really be so little time ago? I guess that's one of the things about the arena. Time doesn't matter to anyone.

"There's this," Says Cato as he pulls out a piece of plastic from beneath the wreckage. I have no idea how it didn't get burned to flames, but I'm glad it didn't. Now that night's fallen, the arena's gotten much colder. It can't be natural. The Gamemakers have to have been playing with the weather, to try and mess with our heads. Whatever they're doing, it's working.

"Should we just stay here?" I say.

"No, we're not safe now that there's so few of us," I know he's worrying about the boy from eleven and the girl from twelve. He's right though. The only possessions we have now are our weapons and a piece of plastic. We no longer have that advantage over the other tributes.

"Let's go in to the woods," Says Cato, "See if we can find anywhere safe," He begins to take off in to the woods.

"So does this mean the alliance is still on?" I say, half jokingly, but it must sound serious because my face is still streaked with tears.

"I guess so," He says without looking back. It's strange to think that we started today with four people in the alliance. Now that number has halved. How could that have happened so quickly?

I begin to follow Cato without thinking. I thought I was alone, but I'm not. Not yet. I still have that bond with Cato that we shared before. That connection that goes all the way back to our childhood. It will never be anything romantic of course, but I'm glad to know that I still have one ally in the arena. Even if I don't like him much.

"Where should we go?" I whisper when I catch up with him.

He studies the area for a moment and then spots a small area of leaves, free of any bushes or trees. "We'll have to stay here. At least for tonight. Don't worry; no one will attack us,"

I'm about to say that I wasn't worrying. That I'm fine. But he sounded so gentle, so kind that I don't. He's not acting like himself anymore, and I'm not sure what to make of it.

I lie down on the leaves and try to close my eyes. I can hear Cato fixing the plastic sheeting above us, so I know he's still awake. All I want to do is sleep, but it doesn't come. Tears well up in my eyes again when I think of Marvel. When I think of all I've lost. But I can't let them fall, so I just stare at the ending nothingness in front of me. The trees that go on forever. If the cameras are on me now, I must look as though I've gone mad. My eyes are wide and I can't bring myself to say anything. I miss him too much already.

Cato finishes with the plastic and I hear him settle on the ground a little way away from me, as though he's giving me space. I turn my head to look at him, and see he's got his back to me, but I'm sure he's not asleep just yet.

I don't like Cato. He's vicious and bloodthirsty. But he's the only friend I've ever truly had in District two, even if we're friends no longer.

Before I can stop myself, I'm saying his name.

"Mm?" He answers, with a sigh.

I don't know exactly what I want to say, I just want to talk to someone.

"Do you remember that time, I was eight and you were ten, and it was the last day before you joined the career academy. We were down by the river, and our parents were watching us in the water?"

"Yeah," He says, as though he doesn't know where I'm going with this.

"I miss that," I say, "I miss it when we used to be friends," I don't know why I'm admitting this now. I guess I know it's the last chance I'll have to tell him.

"You know when you used to tease me about not being good enough, I-I went home, every night and cried to my mom. She said that you were just growing up. That soon enough, you'd start being friends with me again. I waited and waited for that day, but it never came,"

Cato's silent, but I can tell he's listening, so I carry on.

"You know I never wanted you to volunteer. No matter how much we dislike each other, I never ever wanted you dead. You were my first and only real friend Cato, and I hate that we grew apart. I _hate _it." I'm getting frustrated now, and tears are beginning to prick at my eyes. Not only because of Marvel, but because of everything I've lost. And every chance I've lost at life.

"Clove," He says gently, "I'm sorry,"

I can't see his face, but I can tell he means it, just by his tone of voice. It's not much of an apology. Not enough to cover everything that's happened. But it's the best I'm going to get off him. He is Cato, after all. I can't expect a big speech or anything.

Silence settles again and I try to sleep. Expect I can't. My bodies exhausted but my minds restless. Suddenly, from out of the darkness, I hear Cato's voice again.

"You miss him, don't you?" He says. I certainly hadn't expected that. By _him _I know exactly who he means, but I never thought Cato could be so perceptive.

I try to play dumb, because I'm not ready to approach the subject again, "Miss who?"

"You know who I mean Clove," He says and I can hear him smile as he says it.

I don't answer; instead I ask him, "Do you miss Glimmer?"

"Don't avoid the question," He says.

"But do you?"

He sighs and answers, "Yes. I mean, it's not like I loved her or anything. But she was my friend,"

"Friend!" I laugh sarcastically, "I think she was a bit more than that Cato,"

I can't believe he has the nerve to call her just a friend, when they practically had eye sex whenever they looked at each other.

"Alright, alright, we were more than friends. Now answer the question," He says laughing too.

I hesitate before I answer, but when I do a lump wells in my throat at the thought of him.

"Yes," Is all I say.

Cato sighs and a tear falls down my cheek. I shouldn't be crying. I shouldn't be. I'm a career.

In that second, I want to tell Cato everything. I want to tell him how I met Marvel on the train, the day I threw the knife at Brutus. I want to tell him about the night after the interviews. I want to tell him how I loved Marvel and he loved me too. But I can't.

I know, even though there'll be little consequence if I tell him, that I can't. It was mine and Marvel's secret and I can't share that with anyone. I ignore the voice in the back of my head telling me that the whole of Panem was watching. That can't matter. If Cato wins, he'll find out too late. He can't find out while I'm still here.

I think of how this time last night, Marvel told me his fear of dying. Neither of us were aware that he would be dead the next day. I think of where he must be now. Is there anything, when we die? Or is there just nothingness? Am I fooling myself in to thinking that once I die, I'll see him again?

More tears fall and I can't stop them. I can't make a noise though. Cato will notice. The silent screams will have to plague me until the morning.

I must have been too loud though, because Cato coughs and says, "Clove?"

I make some sort of noise in reply, but I can't talk. My voice will fail me and he'll know.

"Are you okay?" He says. I hate this new Cato. I hate the kind Cato. It would be so much easier if he just went back to being the horrible person he truly is.

I make the noise again, but it's unconvincing. Cato doesn't say anything else, which I'm glad of. I want to be with Marvel more than anything right now. I wanted to be with him, forever. But I can't, so the least I can be given right now is my own company.

That night, I come to a conclusion. I don't care what happens when I die, if I can't be with Marvel, I won't live at all. I can't bear the thought of being without him. I will die, in these games. And I want to. But first, I have to kill the girl on fire.

* * *

I wake up the next morning and Cato's already awake. He's sat on the forest floor, around a fire he must have made when I was asleep. He looks more tired than I've ever seen him, which tells me these games must be affecting us all. I just want, more than anything, for them to be over.

"Sleep well?" I ask him, forcing a smile on to my face.

He nods, "You?"

"Brilliantly," The sarcasm seeps through my voice.

He looks me up and down, and I figure I must look a mess again. He looks as though he's about to say something, when a voice begins to speak, from the sky. It's the voice of Claudius Templesmith.

"Attention, attention tributes," The strange Capitol accent is unusual to hear. It feels like years ago since I heard one last. The voice continues, "The regulations requiring a single victor have been suspended. From now on, two victors may be crowned if they originate from the same district. This will be the only announcement,"

It takes my brain a while to process what the voice has said. But when I do, the realisation hits me like a tonne of bricks. I could live. Cato and I. We could go home.

Cato and I look at each other at the same time. We both know what this means. We're the only pair left. Apart from the two from twelve. I see the determination set in Cato's face. He will win this now. I know he will. But will I?

I may be allowed to win now, but when I think of Marvel, guilt pangs in my stomach. I don't want to live. I still don't. I still want to be with him.

"Clove," Cato begins to say, a grin on his face. It's the first time I've seen him smile since we were little. A real smile. Not one tainted with sarcasm or bloodlust. _A real smile. _

"No," I say.

"Excuse me?"

"No," I'm determined now. I will not get out of here alive. Not without Marvel. "We're not going to win. You are,"

"What?" Cato looks shocked.

"I don't deserve to get out of here," I lie, "I don't want to live. You deserve it more than me,"

I certainly know _that's _a lie, but I have to say anything I can to convince him.

"But, why?" Is all he can say.

"Because I said so. Cato, look, whichever way you look at it, you'll still survive. Can't you at least let me decide whether I want to live or die?"

Cato falls silent. That's when I know that whatever he said last night, he's still Cato. We're still enemies. He doesn't care whether I live or die, as long as he lives.

"Thank you," I say, "I'm going to find something for breakfast,"

I cut off the conversation so he doesn't have chance to interrogate me anymore.

"Clove," He says and I turn around. He looks at me oddly, as though realising something, but then he shakes his head. "Doesn't matter,"

I nod and leave him. From now on, I have to aims. To save Cato and to kill the girl on fire. It's the only thing I have left in life, and I have to focus on that now. I'm still human.


	15. The End

**Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins!**

**Once again thank you for reviewing and favouriting, it _still_ means a lot to know that people like this story, even though we're nearly at the end of it now! Just one chapter left after this one, and I can't say I'm ready to leave these characters! But anyway enjoy! :D**

**And I may or may not have started crying in this chapter too! :-)**

* * *

The next few days pass in a monotone fashion. Time seems to blur together, and Cato and I stay away from each other. The only time we're near each other is whenever we eat and sleep. Other than that, we do our own thing.

I haven't spoken for a few days, so I know that when I do, my voice will be hoarse and unused. When people talk about grief, they say that there are stages to it. They say denial comes first. _Check. _Then guilt. _Double Check. _Then comes anger. I have a feeling I'm about to hit that soon.

But right now, I feel numb. I feel as though the arena is the only world I've ever known. I feel as though this routine that Cato and I have going, is the only reality. Whenever I think back to Marvel, it feels like a dream. Still, every night I've cried myself to sleep.

I'm sure Cato hears me now, but he doesn't say anything. Anyway, I've gone past caring. He can think what he likes.

It's about this time of day, that I take off to wandering in the woods. Sometimes I just go wherever my feet carry me, but occasionally, I go back to the clearing. The clearing that was the start of something new. The clearing that meant the end of everything.

I imagine the kiss Marvel and I shared here. The sun that broke through the trees and the mockingjay's that sung. I try to remember the happy memories. _I try. _

But I can't shake the images of the little girl lying in the net. The bouquet of flowers in her hands. The hauntingly peaceful song the girl from twelve sung to her as she slept. The Mockingjay's repeating it. It's enough to drive me insane.

The memories of finding Marvel are too painful for me to think of. Sometimes I just sit, in the leaves. The spot where I last held him. I sit there for hours. I don't cry, I just wait. As though I expect him to come back. But he never does.

I've etched the memory of his eyes in to my head permanently. I'm so scared that I'm going to forget those eyes. I'm scared I'm going to him. The way he smiled, and the way he cared. The way he loved me.

Sometimes I'm sure I hear the Mockingjay's sing the four note tune again. The same tune that they sung that day. I can never tell if I'm imagining it or not. I want to tell it to go away, and I want to block it from my ears. But I can't, because it's become a symbol of that day. It's become the only living thing I have left of Marvel.

I keep my knives with me the whole time, just incase I meet the girl. There is a ferocity in me that makes me sure that I will kill her. With little mercy. The mercy that I used to feel is gone. She killed Marvel and now I will kill her. I'm sure of it.

Sometimes I wish someone had volunteered for me. That it would be less painful. That I would never have known Marvel, and Cato could have came home as victor. Life would be more or less the same. But no one did volunteer for me, and I do know Marvel. _Did. _

Because now I realise. I wish I had never met Marvel. Grief is too painful to overcome the happy memories. It swallows you whole and takes everything away from you. _I just want him back! _

A sob escapes me and I hope no one can hear it. I'm not up to fighting anyone off at the moment.

I know I've made my choice. I will die. I will die so I can be with Marvel. But not yet. I have to kill the girl. I have to save Cato. It's the only thought I can focus on that will keep me sane.

I feel as though I'm going mad. As though these games are finally getting to me. I know there was a girl who won the games once. They say she was driven mad when she saw her district partner decapitated. She didn't love him. If she went crazy because of that, what does that mean I am? I've hardly been acting human the past few days. I feel as though I'm an empty shell, just waiting to fulfil its purpose. And then it'll be gone.

The temperature in the arena has stopped changing constantly now. I like to imagine one of the Gamemakers has taken pity on me, and decided not to let me have that constant reminder over my head. The reminder of the day in the lake. I _tell _myself that's the reason why, but I know really it's probably because they've broken the temperature dial in the control room. Some trivial reason like that. I doubt anyone in the Capitol is capable of pity, if they send twenty four children to kill each other once a year.

I'm guessing I've been gone for about four hours. Which means I'll have to be getting back now. Not that Cato will worry. It's more I'm worried about him. Like I said, even though I don't like him, I'd rather him win that any of the other tributes. Aside maybe Loverboy. Although I struggle to understand how he can love that girl.

I stand up from my wresting spot and my knees are wobbly. I've been sat down for so long, I've almost forgotten how to walk. _Left, right. Left, Right. _I instruct my legs to move slowly at first, but then quicken my pace. It's at least a twenty minute walk from here the where Cato and I are staying at best. If I walk too slowly, it'll take about an hour.

I've slowly become familiar with the trees in the days that have past. What once just looked like an endless forest now looks like a home to me. Somewhere I've been kept all my life. There are certain markings on the trees that I look for; certain rocks or certain animal prints. It's a times like this when I wonder if I truly am going mad.

Eventually I make it back to our camp. Cato's sat at the fire, which has somehow managed not to burn out yet, sharpening his sword. He doesn't look up when I sit next to him, but I stare at him, as though forcing him to look at me. I don't know what makes me do it, but I feel as though I want his to recognise me. I feel as though I want him to acknowledge that I'm not coping.

He looks up at me, his eyes empty. Neither of us quite knows what to say. But that doesn't matter, because soon, the familiar capitol accent is booming in the air.

"Attention, attention tributes. There will be a feast tomorrow, at the cornucopia,"

_Of course, _every year, they have a feast, where the tributes fight for food. But we don't need food, we can hunt for ourselves. The feast usually happens quite far along in the games, which must mean there are only a few of us left. I haven't been keeping track of canons, so I wouldn't know.

"Now hold on," The voice continues, "Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately."

What do we need desperately? _What do we need desperately? Come on think Clove. _And then it clicks. We need to kill the girl from twelve. The feast may be our best chance of getting to her.

The voice carries on, "Each of you will find _that _something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance,"

The voice finishes and then there's silence. He's right. This may be our last chance because I can't live like this any longer. I can't bear it. I will die tomorrow, but first, I will get the girl.

"Let me go," I croak. It's strange. My throat doesn't hurt when I talk, but I can tell it doesn't sound as it normally does.

"Let me go," I say more firmly, "And I'll kill her. I won't make it quick either. I'll give the Capitol a good show,"

I want the girl dead, but first I want her to suffer. I want her to suffer the way that I have.

Cato nods and says, "Just do it well. I'll keep lookout. For any other tributes,"

I want to object to this. The human part of me makes an appearance and I know that I don't want any more tributes dead than necessary; I just want the girl dead. I wanted her dead before she killed Marvel and I want her dead now even more so. I just want her gone.

The fire's still burning when I decide to go to sleep that night. It's as though it's determined to haunt me. It's not comforting, like you might think. It just reminds me of the nights I spent in front of the campfire with Marvel. It reminds me of him, among so many other things.

I lie down on the leaves, my back to Cato's. Then a voice starts out of the blue.

"Clove," It's Cato. I know he's trying to talk to me.

"Yeah?" I reply, because it's the only thing I can say.

"Why don't you want to win? Why won't you come back with me?"

The way he says the last question almost breaks me, but I manage to keep my voice steady.

"Because it will hurt. Deaths the easier option,"

"Easier option? What could possibly have happened that would make you not want to live anymore?"

He's probing for answers, but I won't give him any.

"I didn't volunteer, _Cato. _I never wanted to be in these games. I don't enjoy killing, unlike you,"

"But you do it anyway," He says.

"And that's what hurts," It's not a complete lie. Every moment of every day, I'm wracked with guilt from killing the boy from nine. I should feel the same about the girl on fire. But I don't.

Silence falls and I've just started to drop off to sleep, when the voice begins to talk again.

"So what? You're going to kill the girl tomorrow and then just give up? You can't Clove."

A feeling begins to conjure up in my stomach. It feels like guilt. _Guilt? _I shouldn't be feeling guilty just because Cato doesn't want me dead. It's my decision, no one else's.

"But I can. And I will." I say it as a finality. Like this conversation is over and there's nothing Cato can say to persuade me. I don't want to live anymore. It's as plain and simple as that.

I hear Cato sigh, and I know he's given up fighting for me. Then he says something that brings tears to my eyes for a different reason.

"Goodbye Clove," He doesn't say it solemnly, and he doesn't say it angrily. He says it, and he sounds like he's saying goodbye to a best friend.

"Goodbye, Cato," I say, and I drift off to sleep.

* * *

I wake up in the morning to a rough shaking on my shoulder.

"Clove, it's time," Cato's voice tells me.

I get up instantly, but my mind is protesting. _No, this is too soon. _I want to die, but I'm not ready to die. Whenever I feel like turning back however, I think of Marvel. He didn't get a choice, and he was as equally scared as me.

Cato hands me some breakfast- a bit of leftover wild turkey, which seem to be the only thing left in these forests. I eat it slowly, as though trying to savour the last meal I'll ever have. The last meal I'll have before I die.

"Cato, wait," I begin to say because I've thought of something. "What about your backpack? Do you want it?"

I've stopped referring to everything as 'our', because soon enough, it will just be 'his'.

Cato looks at me, and he looks worried. Not worried for himself, but worried for me, which is something I've never seen in him before.

"No, don't worry about it. I'll get it once you're done," I notice he can't bring himself to say 'once I'm dead,' and I'm grateful for it.

And then it's time to go. I pick myself up and try to think positively, but it's no use. Why should I bother?

I begin to leave but Cato stops me. He walks over to me, and then something unexpected happens. He wraps his arms around me in to an uncomfortable hug. It's awkward at first, but I learn to accept it as the only sign of affection I'll ever get off him.

"I'm sorry Clove," He whispers in my ear and I freeze. If the hug was unexpected, this is way past that.

"I know," I say, because there's nothing else I can say.

Then he releases me from the hug and smiles slightly. I have no idea why he's being so nice all of a sudden. Maybe he means it. Maybe he really did used to think of me as his best friend. And now his best friend is going to die.

We walk side by side for a little bit of the walk to the Cornucopia, and then he stops. He doesn't say anything to me, but he gives his head a slight nod and I continue the walk alone.

I reach the Cornucopia and all is silent. I wait at the edge of the woods and take in the sight. The scorch marks and ashes from the explosion are gone now- the Gamemakers must have removed them to make way for the feast.

In front of the Cornucopia, there's a table. On top of the table, there are four back packs. I take the time to survey my competition out of curiosity. There's the backpack with the number two on, and one with twelve on of course. And then there's eleven and five. Five's what I didn't expect. The girl must be clever to have stayed out the way of the other tributes for so long.

_Of course, _I think. I can't believe I could have forgotten it- she's the girl who was stealing from us before the boy from three joined us.

I'm seemingly calm for someone who's walking to their death. I will embrace it when it comes, I have decided. I will go with my dignity.

I feel as though I should run and get the pack as fast as I can, but then I remember, my mission is not to get the pack and whatever's in it. It's to kill the girl from twelve, so I must wait until she makes an appearance.

I've just finished concluding this when a flash of red hair appears from out the Cornucopia. The girl from five darts out, grabs her pack and makes her way in to the woods opposite me. It's a clever strategy, if you were trying to avoid the other tributes, and I admire her for it. But that's not my aim. I'm not trying to avoid. I'm trying to hunt.

And then she appears. The girl from twelve begins to sprint out to the table, as fast as her legs will carry her. This is it. I must act now.

I throw a knife before I'm even out on the plain. She must hear it though, because she deflects it with her bow. I scowl and run towards her. She tries to shoot an arrow at me, but I dodge it and it hits me in the arm instead.

The pain shoots through me as I pull the arrow out, but I must carry on. I can't let her get away. She's at the table now, and she has the tiny backpack around her wrist. I throw another knife at her and it hits. Blood gushes down from her forehead and she staggers backward. She aims an arrow at me, but it comes whizzing past. Her judgement is off and I seize me chance.

I charge in to her and knock her to the ground. The girl struggles, spitting blood out of her mouth but then she goes limp. I pin her arms to her side and lie on top of her. I'm not going to let her go. I'm not going to make this easy.

"Where's your _boyfriend_, District Twelve? Still hanging on?" I spit in her face. I want her to suffer. I want her to feel pain.

"He's out there now. Hunting Cato," She says, her eyes looking determinedly at me. Then she screams, "Peeta!"

That must be Loverboy's name. Hate courses through me and I jam my fist in to her throat. She doesn't love him. I won't give her the satisfaction of gaining sympathy off the Capitol. I look around, hoping 'Peeta' isn't actually coming. Hoping that he hasn't recovered. I don't want him to see this.

"Liar," I say, smiling. I know I'll at least get to finish the job now. "He's nearly dead. Cato knows where he cut him. You've probably got him strapped up in some tree while you try to keep his heart going,"

Then I realise what must be in the orange pack. "What's in the backpack? That medicine for Loverboy? Too bad he'll never get it,"

I don't particularly want to harm Peeta, but I want to taunt the girl as much as I can, so I'll use him at her expense.

I open my jacket and pull out a knife. It's small, with a curved blade. I've been saving it for her. "I promised Cato," I begin, "That if he let me have you, I'd give the audience a good show,"

That at least is true. She squirms under me, but I continue to pin her down, effortlessly. She may be skilled with a bow, but she's not strong. All the malnourishment has had an effect on her.

"Forget it, District Twelve. We're going to kill you. Just like we did your pathetic little ally," I think back to the girl with the bouquet of flowers in her hand. This is the part that kills me. This is the part where I lie through my teeth.

"What was her name?" I continue, "Rue? Well, first Rue, then you, and then I think we'll just let nature take care of Loverboy. How does that sound?" I smile at her and know my time is now. "But, where to start?"

I wipe the blood away from the gash on her forehead and survey her face. Secretly, my insides are relishing every moment of this, no matter how much I tell myself it's wrong. She tries to bite my hand, but I'm too quick. I grab her hair and force her back to the ground.

"I think... I think we'll start with your mouth," I begin. She clamps her mouth together as I trail the knife along her lips. "Yes, I don't think you'll have much use for your lips any more. Want to blow Loverboy one last kiss?" I ask.

Then she manages to cough up a mixture of blood and saliva in my face. I feel my face redden as I wipe it away. She will not have the satisfaction of seeing me defeated. "All right, then. Let's get started,"

I work the knife in to her mouth but just then, I feel something grab my back and I know this is it. I have failed. But I will still die.

I turn around to try and see my captor, but his grip is too strong. He throws me on the ground harshly, and I feel the side of my face bruise. I look up at my attacker, and see the boy from eleven. He's fuming and towering above me. Right now, I understand exactly how the tributes that we killed at the Cornucopia felt. I understand how the boy from three must have felt when Cato killed him.

"What'd you do to that little girl? You kill her?" His voice is gruff and I've never heard one so angry.

I start to scramble backwards. Fear pangs through me and I say the only thing I can think of, even though I know it means betraying Marvel. I say, "No! No, it wasn't me!"

"You said her name. I heard you. You kill her?" He repeats the question again. I see his face contort again, as though the cogs are working in his brain. "You cut her up like you were going to cut up this girl here?"

"No! No, I-" I begin to say, but then I see the rock. Tears form in my eyes and the fear returns. I'm scared. I'm desperate. I scream the only name that I know will help me.

"Cato! Cato!" I screech at the top of my lungs. I hear him shout back, but it's too late. The boy brings the rock down on my head and the pain overcomes me.

From then on I drift in and out of consciousness. I hear the boy and the girl talking occasionally, but my vision is gone. Then I hear the footsteps of the girl leave, and Cato arrives. He kneels next to me and I'm sure I can hear the tears fall.

"Clove, Clove, come on. Stay with me," He says.

I want to shout out. I want to say that I can hear him. That I will stay with him. But I can't. I try to speak but nothing escapes my lips.

I don't want to die. Because if there's one thing Marvel taught me, it's to live every moment like your last and never let go. It's to make sure that in every moment nothing else matters. _I don't want to die._ The frustration flows through me, but I can feel myself slipping away. My body feels light and I feel the life draining out of me.

I can hear Cato crying now and I don't want him to. I can't have meant that much to him can I? I have to decide what my last thoughts will be now. And I know in an instant what it is.

I imagine Marvels face. Those kind, brown eyes and that light-hearted laugh. I will see him again, soon. I won't have to be alone anymore. Nothing else will ever matter. Then everything goes dark, and I'm no longer human.


	16. Epilogue

**So, I can't believe we've finally made it! I have to say, that I am normally the queen of procrastination, so I've never finished a story before. But this time I was determined to finish it, and I have! I hope you have all enjoyed reading, and that this final chapter does not disappoint, even though it is a lot shorter than the rest because it's sort of an epilogue :') **

**And also, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my friend Dora, without her, I wouldn't have completed the story. **

******Disclaimer: Of course I am not Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

I feel as though I'm floating. As though I'm in a dream. As though I know where I am, and this is how things have always been. But I know that this isn't. The world around me is a misty fog but the airs light, not heavy. What's happened? Is it that fog again? The fog that got the better of me in the arena?

I squirm and try to break free. To run away from the fog. Nothings stopping me, so why can't I escape it? I look down at myself and realise I'm wearing the same dress I wore on the reaping day. The thin, white cotton flows smoothly against me as a light breeze blows past.

Where am I? I try to remember everything. I try. But my last memories are of being pulled off the _stupid girl on fire _by some sort of force. So why am I here? Have the games finished already?

Then from out of the fog, a figure begins to emerge. It walks slowly towards me at first, but then quickens its pace. I can't quite make out who it is and I squint to try and get a better view of their face.

"Hello?" I say, hoping to get some reply. But there is none. The figure keeps walking towards me, and stops a few metres in front of me. I take in the person. They're wearing a simple shirt and tie, and I know it's a boy. They're dressed in reaping outfits. The boys face begins to blur in to focus and I recognise it immediately. The boy from three.

"A-re you-" I begin to say, but then a thought occurs to me. The boy from three is dead. Why is he here?

When the realisation dawns on me, I'm not alarmed. I feel entirely at peace. The boy from three is dead. And so am I.

"Clove, welcome," He says, in the same nasal voice he used in the arena. I have to resist letting out a snicker at the dramatic fashion in which he says it.

"Am I dead?" I say, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Yes Clove. You are dead," _I wish he'd stop saying my name, _I think.

"So the games are over then?" I know the answer already, but somehow, I feel confirmation will make it more real.

The boy nods. "Follow me," He says, and begins to walk off in another direction. I follow him, and gradually the fog thins, until it has completely disappeared. When I emerge I'm not stood at a set of pearly gates, or a snarling pit of fire, but in a forest. The trees are still around me, and the Mockingjay's still sing, but somehow, I know everything is alright. Everything is peaceful.

Another boy appears from behind one of the trees. The light dawns on his face and I see how young he is. He must be only twelve or thirteen maybe. Then I recognise his face. The boy from nine.

I'm speechless. What am I supposed to say? I'm not sure any apology will cover it. _Oh, I'm sorry for killing you; can we kiss and make up? _No. That will definitely not cover it.

"I-I," I begin to stutter, but the boy shakes his head and waves my words away with his hand.

"It was going to happen anyway," He says. Then I hear the words I've longed to hear. The words which truly mean it's okay. The words that release the pools of guilt that have been bubbling in my stomach for so long. He says, "I forgive you," And then he leaves.

I'm stood with the boy from three behind me, in the middle of a clearing in the woods. The sun begins to break through the trees, light scattering everywhere.

"This is where I leave you," Says the boy from three, "Have fun!"  
He smiles in a way that's so unlike him and for the first time I see the teenager in him. There's no scared look in his eyes, and the constant look of concentration has left his face. Because that's all we really are in the end, teenagers.

"Wait, where do I go now?" I ask, not wanting to be left without any idea of what to do.

"Go wherever you want, go _find _whoever you want. You're free," He says, and then he disappears in to the trees. I'm free. The thought echoes through my mind but it still doesn't seem real to me. Am I really, finally free of the hunger games? If so, then my desperate struggle to cling on to life now seems pathetic to me. Why would I want to stay on earth, when I could be here, free of it all?

His other words go through my mind. He said _find whoever you want. _Who do I want to find? A warm feeling begins to stir in my stomach as I wrack through my memories. Then the eyes appear. The eyes that feel like home to me. The boys face becomes clearer in my mind, until I can put a name to it. Marvel. That's who I have to find.

A grin spreads across my face as I realise I can see him again. I can see Marvel again! I just have to find him.

The clearing looks familiar to me. The way the light breaks through the trees and the way the air smells fresh. Then it clicks. This is the place where Marvel died. Except it can't be, because I'm dead.

I have to find him. How do I find him though? It would be impractical to physically go looking for him. After all, nothing is physical here. Everything's happening inside my head. No, I can't do that. The only way to find him would be to think of him.

I close my eyes and imagine Marvels face. I remember the feeling that arose in me every time I saw his face. I remember his smile and I remember his eyes. I remember the way he told me he loved me and I allow the feeling the fill me up. It makes me feel whole.

I open my eyes and there he is. Stood in front of me. That goofy smile on his face, his eyes still filled with kindness. Then I can't contain it any longer. I run over to him as fast as I can and he puts his arms out. He encases me in a hug and I wrap my arms around him. I take in the feel of him and allow myself to relax. It's okay. I've found him again.

"Hello," He says, smiling as we break apart.

"Hello," I repeat his words and a laugh escapes me.

"What took you so long?" He grins.

"Everything," Is all I say, because I don't want to explain all the things that happened after he was gone. Not yet anyway. Not quite yet.

He smiles and leans down to kiss me. When our lips meet, my heart starts to race again, and all the human emotions flood back to me. He wraps his arms around my waist and my chest feels warm. I know now I have made the right decision. I'm with Marvel again and nothing else matters.

We break apart and he slips his hand in to mine. I know now that the clearing was never the end of anything; it was always the start of something new. I will stay close to Marvel, now and forever. Nothing else will ever matter. We're still human.

* * *

**So, we're finished! Thanks to everyone who's helped me through this, including all of my lovely readers, including the ones that are just reading and lurking in the shadows ahaha! So yeah, thank you, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. **


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